The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the deployment of 4,000 telecommunications towers across Nigeria to expand digital connectivity in underserved communities.
The approval was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after the council meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Idris said the project, which is being implemented through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, is aimed at bridging Nigeria’s digital divide and promoting economic inclusion.
“Under this programme, about 4,000 towers will be erected in communities that are currently underserved,” the minister said.
He disclosed that an estimated 23 million Nigerians currently lack access to basic digital services, a situation the government intends to address through the intervention.
“The presentation by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy shows that about 23 million Nigerians are underserved and are unable to fully participate in the digital economy,” Idris added.
In addition, the council approved the establishment of service centres for agricultural mechanisation across the country’s geopolitical zones to support year-round farming and boost food production.
The minister also noted that FEC issued fresh directives to strengthen project prioritisation and monitoring across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in line with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework earlier presented by the Ministers of Finance and Budget.
