Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy sector have warned that the country risks missing its ambitious 90,000-kilometre fibre deployment target unless urgent reforms are implemented to address persistent coordination challenges in infrastructure rollout.
The warning was issued at the National Dig-Once Policy Forum held in Lagos, which also marked the 8th Policy Implementation Assisted Forum.
Industry leaders at the event stressed that poor coordination among government agencies, road contractors and telecom operators is undermining the execution of a $2bn national fibre expansion plan and threatening broader digital economy objectives.
They called for the immediate adoption of a nationwide Dig-Once policy, a framework that mandates the installation of fibre ducts during road construction or rehabilitation.
The approach allows multiple telecom operators to share infrastructure, reducing repeated excavation, lowering costs and minimising service disruptions.
Speaking at the forum, the convener, Omobayo Azeez, described the Dig-Once policy as a critical enabler for Project BRIDGE, the Federal Government’s flagship broadband initiative aimed at expanding Nigeria’s fibre network from about 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres by 2030.
“At a time when Project BRIDGE is taking off, Dig-Once stands out as the policy instrument that can de-risk implementation and maximise long-term national value,” Azeez said.
Project BRIDGE is backed by the World Bank with a $500m funding support, underscoring its importance to Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
However, industry stakeholders argued that the current fibre deployment model is fragmented, inefficient and prone to damage.
They noted that uncoordinated road construction activities frequently lead to fibre cuts, resulting in widespread network outages and increased operational costs for service providers.
President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, said Nigeria’s primary challenge lies not in policy formulation but in weak implementation.
“We have so many policies we don’t execute well. What Dig-Once offers is an opportunity to correct this,” he said.
Data presented at the forum revealed that approximately 60 per cent of network outages in Nigeria are caused by fibre cuts linked to road construction.
Figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission further showed that out of about 50,000 fibre cut incidents recorded annually, nearly 30,000 are associated with road works.
Chief Executive Officer of Dimensions Data Limited, Gbenga Olabiyi, highlighted a significant disconnect between infrastructure deployment and actual connectivity. Despite the country having roughly 35,000 kilometres of installed fibre, only about 16 per cent of Nigerians are connected, while broadband penetration remains around 45 per cent.
He noted that access is still heavily concentrated in urban centres, leaving rural communities largely underserved.
“The infrastructure we have is not translating to the level of service we should be seeing,” Olabiyi said, pointing to longstanding inefficiencies in fibre distribution.
To address these gaps, stakeholders advocated for the integration of fibre ducts into road design standards from the planning stage, effectively treating broadband infrastructure as a critical national utility.
Deputy Director at ipNX Nigeria, Segun Okuneye, said road contractors should be mandated to include duct installation in all construction projects to prevent repeated excavation and reduce service disruptions.
Beyond deployment challenges, concerns were also raised about ageing infrastructure. Industry experts warned that fibre cables installed 15 to 20 years ago are nearing the end of their operational lifespan, posing additional risks to network reliability.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, urged greater collaboration among operators to upgrade ageing infrastructure through shared investments rather than duplicating networks.
“Early fibres laid years ago are ageing, and the industry needs a plan to replace them without everyone digging the same routes again,” he said.
Technology-driven solutions were also highlighted as part of efforts to mitigate network disruptions. Representatives of Huawei Technologies showcased an artificial intelligence-powered fibre sensing system capable of detecting and locating cable damage in real time I up to 99.9 per cent accuracy.
The system converts fibre cables into sensors that monitor vibrations, temperature changes and physical strain, enabling faster fault detection and response.
Despite these innovations, stakeholders emphasised that infrastructure protection remains a major concern.
They noted that enforcement of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) framework is still weak, even with ongoing collaboration between security agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Kenny Joda of FibreOne Broadband said vandalism and accidental damage continue to disrupt services, revealing that his company recorded four fibre cut incidents in April alone.
Participants at the forum agreed that stronger enforcement of existing regulations, improved coordination among government agencies, and increased public awareness are essential to safeguarding telecom infrastructure.
They cautioned that without decisive action, Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions could be significantly slowed, even as demand for data and connectivity continues to rise across sectors.
