Nigeria is set to embark on a major digital expansion initiative following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of 4,000 new telecom towers aimed at improving connectivity across underserved communities nationwide.
The approval, issued after the Council’s meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja, marks one of the country’s most ambitious efforts yet to bridge the digital divide affecting millions. According to Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, the project will target areas still lacking access to basic digital infrastructure.
Idris explained that the initiative, jointly approved for the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Ministry of Finance, will facilitate the establishment of service centres focused on agricultural mechanisation and digital services. These centres will accompany the deployment of the telecom towers in remote and underserved communities.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Idris revealed that an estimated 23 million Nigerians currently live in areas where digital access is severely limited or entirely unavailable. Many of these communities, he noted, struggle with basic communication challenges that continue to impede their participation in economic life.
“The presentation of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy indicates that about 23 million Nigerians are currently underserved, meaning that they are unable to do anything,” Idris said. He added that limited digital connectivity has long hindered efficient communication, education, and commercial activity in many rural parts of the country.
He described the approval as a transformative step that will not only bring digital access to remote communities but also stimulate economic inclusion. Digital connectivity, he noted, has become essential for daily transactions, small businesses, farming operations, and access to government services.
Beyond boosting connectivity, Idris emphasised that the deployment of telecom towers will also contribute significantly to national security efforts. Improved communication infrastructure is expected to enhance security surveillance, support emergency response mechanisms, and assist military operations in hard-to-reach locations affected by insecurity.
“Indeed, this will also help in fighting insecurity and enhancing commerce and economic activity amongst the people of Nigeria,” he said. The minister stressed that the benefits would stretch well beyond communication, creating pathways for rural development, job creation, and increased economic resilience.
In addition to the telecommunications initiative, the Federal Executive Council also approved the establishment of agricultural mechanisation service centres across the six geopolitical zones. These centres are designed to promote year-round farming, reduce labour-intensive practices, and improve food production levels nationwide.
Idris noted that both decisions align with Nigeria’s medium-term expenditure framework, recently presented by the Ministers of Finance and Budget. According to him, the framework emphasises investment in digital infrastructure and agriculture as core strategies for driving economic diversification and sustainable growth.
The agricultural mechanisation centres, once operational, will provide farmers with access to tractors, threshers, harvesters, and other modern equipment needed to scale up agricultural productivity. They are also expected to serve as training centres for farmers seeking to adopt modern techniques and reduce dependence on outdated manual tools.
The twin approvals—telecom tower deployment and mechanisation service centres—reflect the government’s broader drive to integrate technology into Nigeria’s economic backbone. By combining enhanced digital access with improved agricultural capacity, policymakers expect to unlock significant opportunities for rural transformation.
Experts note that expanding telecom infrastructure will likely complement mechanisation initiatives by enabling farmers to access digital marketplaces, financial services, and real-time agricultural data. This integration can help farmers sell their produce more efficiently, reduce losses, and increase profits.
For millions of underserved citizens, improved digital access could pave the way for online education, telemedicine, mobile banking, and remote work opportunities. Analysts believe that this shift could particularly benefit young people in rural regions who have long faced barriers to skill development and employment.
With implementation expected to begin soon, communities across the country eagerly await the rollout of these long-awaited facilities. As the government moves forward, stakeholders emphasise the importance of ensuring transparent execution, timely delivery, and sustainable maintenance of the infrastructure.
Nigeria’s latest step toward digital expansion and agricultural strengthening signals a decisive move toward bridging long-standing development gaps. If completed as envisioned, the initiative may become one of the most impactful infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration, reshaping the nation’s digital and economic landscape.
