Four months after the expiration of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020–2025, telecom operators are intensifying calls for a new, execution-driven broadband policy to accelerate digital infrastructure growth.
Industry players say the country’s next roadmap must focus less on ambitious targets and more on practical implementation, stronger coordination, and policy alignment across federal and state governments.
The push follows a performance review of the outgoing plan, which stakeholders say fell short in key areas such as infrastructure rollout and policy execution. Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows broadband penetration reached just 51.97 per cent by December 2025, well below the 70 per cent target set under the plan.
Speaking on the development, Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said Nigeria needs a more realistic and implementable framework.
“These plans are important because they set direction and attract investment, but our biggest challenge has always been execution,” he said, adding that infrastructure deployment and private sector participation must be central to the next policy.
Telecom consultant Adewale Adeoye echoed similar concerns, noting that many targets in the previous plan were not fully implemented, which explains the shortfall.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communications Commission has confirmed that work is underway on a new broadband plan. Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, said the regulator is reviewing past performance to guide improvements.
Despite some gains, operators say structural challenges continue to slow progress. These include Right of Way bottlenecks, multiple taxation, high deployment costs, and poor power supply.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), noted that hidden state-level charges still discourage investment, even where official waivers exist.
While initiatives like Project BRIDGE and the Federal Government’s plan to deploy about 7,000 telecom towers signal progress, operators insist that isolated efforts are not enough without a coordinated national strategy.
Beyond penetration gaps, other targets were also missed. The plan aimed for 50 per cent broadband penetration by 2023, a milestone only achieved in 2025. It also projected that 70 per cent of subscriptions would be on 4G by 2023, but this stood at just 52.95 per cent by the end of 2025.
With smartphone costs rising above ₦100,000 and no local assembly plant in place as initially planned, access to broadband remains constrained.
For industry stakeholders, the message is clear: Nigeria’s next broadband plan must prioritise execution, accountability, and affordability to close the digital gap and unlock growth.
