Newscenter Media News 
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, ‘Bosun Tijani, has said about 20 million Nigerians lacking internet and access to digital services will begin to see significant improvements from 2027 as ongoing infrastructure projects become operational.
The minister said no country in Africa is currently investing in digital infrastructure like the Nigerian government.
Tijani disclosed this in an interview with journalists at the Flagship Nigeria event in Abuja on Wednesday.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening digital access and building the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy.
According to him, Nigeria is currently making the most extensive investment in digital infrastructure on the African continent, describing it as critical to the country’s economic transformation agenda.
Tijani highlighted that Nigeria is the only African country investing in a 90,000-kilometer fiber optic network, a project being supported by the World Bank. He added that the government is also investing in two new communication satellites and the deployment of 3,700 additional telecom towers in rural areas, a move expected to connect about 20 million Nigerians who currently lack access to basic connectivity.
“There is no country in Africa today that is investing in digital infrastructure as deeply as Nigeria,” the minister said, noting that recent policy adjustments, including tariff reviews in the telecoms sector, have helped restore profitability and encouraged private investment exceeding $1 billion.
He stressed, however, that infrastructure alone is not sufficient without digital skills and literacy.
Tijani explained that the government has differentiated between advanced technical skills and basic digital literacy, pointing to the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program launched in 2023, which has already trained over 150,000 young Nigerians.
He revealed that plans are underway to roll out a nationwide digital literacy program using mobile technology and local languages.
As part of this effort, the minister announced that Nigeria has developed the first government-backed large language model in Africa, enabling artificial intelligence to communicate in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and accented English.
He said this innovation would serve as the foundation for delivering digital literacy training to Nigerians of all ages.
Providing an update on Nigeria’s satellite plans, Tijani said the country’s existing communication satellite has become outdated and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the procurement of new ones. He noted that the satellites would play a key role in connecting hard-to-reach areas and supporting national security.
According to him, fiber deployment is expected to commence between the second and third quarters of this year; he said the new satellites should become operational by next year.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa, PDA, Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, said the goal of the event is in line with the continent’s goal of connecting one billion people to the internet by 2030.
He hailed Nigeria for its clear strategy and massive investments in connectivity, devices, and digital skills, stressing that electricity remains a critical missing link in achieving true digital inclusion. He explained that PDA’s Mission 300 initiative focuses on expanding electricity access to remote areas to enable communities, schools, health centers, and markets to fully benefit from digital services.
“This is about making connectivity relevant to the people who need it the most, not just those in major cities,” he said, calling for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to close the digital divide quickly and effectively.
In his remarks, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, said Nigeria has some of the world’s most significant deficits in electricity access and backbone infrastructure but also enormous growth potential driven by its demographics.
Verghis emphasized that digital inclusion cannot be achieved without reliable power, broadband connectivity, and affordable devices working together. He called for coordinated planning, construction, and financing of power and fiber infrastructure to reduce costs and accelerate universal access.
“There is no digital inclusion without power, and no inclusive growth from electrification without connectivity,” he said.
Verghis said the World Bank stands ready to support federal and state governments, as well as private sector partners in Nigeria, to turn the vision of integrated power and broadband access into reality for millions of Nigerians.
20 million Nigerians to experience better access to internet, digital services in 2027— Minister