By Martin Ekpeke
In a significant move to bolster Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure, ten more states have joined Anambra in waiving right-of-way (RoW) charges for telecom companies. This announcement, made by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, signals a major step forward in addressing a key financial hurdle for network expansion.
Dr. Tijani revealed this development while President Bola Tinubu received the report from participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. He explained that the federal government has been actively advocating for the waiver to facilitate broader access to broadband services across the nation.
RoW charges, fees levied by state governments on telecom operators for installing and maintaining infrastructure like cell towers and fiber optic cables, have long been a point of contention. These costs have posed a significant financial barrier to expanding telecommunications services.
Previously, only seven states had waived these charges, with Anambra being the most recent to join in 2021. While a 2020 agreement saw all 36 states agreeing to a maximum charge of N145 per linear meter of fiber, many later backtracked.
With these ten new states on board, a total of 18 states have now agreed to review RoW charges, creating a more favorable financial environment for telecom companies to invest in broadband infrastructure. Minister Tijani expressed optimism that all states will follow suit by the end of May 2025.
This progress follows a recommendation from the 96 participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 at NIPSS, who presented President Tinubu with a report titled “Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.”