Internet Penetration: FG unveils National Broadband Alliance to drive digital economy

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, launched the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN) to accelerate broadband penetration and foster socio-economic growth across the country.
The launch took place in Lagos, with the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasizing the critical role of broadband in shaping Nigeria’s digital economy.
The NBAN is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together government, businesses, and partners to expand internet access, increase usage, and promote digital inclusion in Nigeria.
Its goal is to make broadband a key driver of economic and social growth while the key objective is to achieve 70% broadband penetration by 2025, ensure minimum speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural areas, attain 80% population coverage by 2027 and to increase broadband investments by 300-500%
To achieve these targets, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to deploy 90,000 km of fibre backbone nationwide. This initiative aims to bridge connectivity gaps, drive digital inclusion, and unlock economic opportunities through strategic partnerships across public and private sectors.
Speaking, the Minister, represented at the event by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, explained that “the NBAN initiative aims to bridge connectivity gaps, drive digital inclusion, and unlock economic opportunities through strategic partnerships across public and private sectors.”
He said: “Nigeria has witnessed significant progress in broadband expansion, increasing penetration from 6 penetration in 2015 to approximately 42 penetration as of October 2024.
“However, challenges such as infrastructure gaps, underutilization of fibre networks, affordability, and digital literacy continue to limit full adoption.
“The NBAN is designed to address these issues by aggregating demand across key sectors including education, healthcare, financial services, governance, and e-commerce to make broadband more accessible and affordable.”
“Broadband is not just about connectivity; it is a driver of productivity, innovation, and economic diversification.
“Through the NBAN, we will harness the power of digital infrastructure to enhance education, healthcare, financial inclusion, and governance,” the Minister stated.
Stating the key objectives of NBAN, Dr. Tijani explained that the initiative “aligns with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan, 2020–2025, and the Ministry’s digital economy strategy, targets: 70 percent broadband penetration by 2025.
“Minimum speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural areas, 80 percent population coverage by 2027 and a 300–500 percent increase in broadband investments.
“To achieve these targets, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved a Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV, to deploy 90,000 km of fibre backbone nationwide, ensuring that even the most underserved communities benefit from broadband services.”
Internet Penetration: FG unveils National Broadband Alliance to drive digital economy


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