The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy commissioned the opening site of the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project in Bende, Abia State on Friday. The initiative will deploy 3,700 towers across the country to deliver broadband and communication services to rural and riverine communities that currently lack adequate connectivity.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr Bosun Tijani said the project would benefit education, commerce, agriculture and healthcare across Nigeria. He noted that the Federal Government had provided resources to purchase all necessary towers and that many communities remain waiting to be connected.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, who attracted the project to his constituency, said the initiative would enable online learning, banking transactions, medical consultations and emergency calls in the area. He highlighted that approximately 20 million people in the region had long suffered from lack of connectivity.
The Chief Commercial Officer of IHS Nigeria, Akeem Adeshina, described the project as an important milestone in expanding digital access. He said GICL, a subsidiary of IHS Towers, is supporting deployment of rural telecommunications infrastructure alongside public Wi-Fi and smart village solutions across seven locations in Abia, Delta, Enugu, Plateau, Katsina and Ogun States.