The Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Nigerian Communications Commission have formed a strategic alliance to harmonise Right of Way policies, expand broadband connectivity, and drive inclusive digital transformation across the states.
NGF’s Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Tanko Abdullahi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the development followed a courtesy visit by NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Aminu Maida, who led a delegation to the NGF Secretariat in Abuja.
He noted that the team, warmly received by NGF Director-General Abdulateef Shittu, reaffirmed a joint resolve to strengthen broadband penetration and protect critical national information infrastructure across the states.
The statement read, “Dr Maida commended the NGF for its willingness to collaborate, noting the openness of the NGF to engage with us reflects a shared belief in the impact digital solutions can have on subnational development.
“He emphasised the critical need for alignment between national and subnational digital infrastructure, describing it as a “game changer” for Nigeria’s digital economy.
“A key focus of his address was the Right of Way fees, currently set at N145 per linear metre, which he described as a significant burden on telecom companies.
Dr. Maida urged states to waive or reduce these fees to facilitate fibre optic deployment, stating, The Right of Way is a critical element in opening up the digital economy, and this lies within the purview of the states.”
The statement said the NGF Director-General emphasised the pivotal role of broadband and secure infrastructure in driving development at the state level, adding that “Broadband and secure information infrastructure are no longer optional inputs to development. They are foundational public goods.”
The statement quoted Shittu as observing that despite Nigeria’s rapid growth in connectivity, broadband penetration nationwide still falls short of the threshold required for inclusive digital transformation.
The statement added, “To address this, he proposed four pragmatic areas for deepened partnership with the NCC: institutional alignment through State Broadband Coordinating Councils, policy harmonisation to standardise RoW rules, CNII resilience through state-level protection plans, and information sharing to enhance capacity building.
“The DG pointed to the World Bank’s SABRE initiative as a model for success, citing states that have harmonised RoW fees, adopted coordinated trenching practices, and waived onerous fees to attract private investment.
“These policy choices have produced rapid increases in fibre kilometres and improved access to high-capacity networks.”
The NCC CEO and NGF DG highlighted that easing right-of-way barriers would spur telecom growth, benefit citizens, and boost state revenues.
The statement continued, “Mr Shittu reinforced that expanded fibre coverage raises productivity, supports job creation, broadens access to education and health services, and enlarges the taxable base available to state governments.
“The NGF proposed leveraging the upcoming NCC Business Roundtable to convert commitments into concrete state-level pledges. I further propose that the NGF and the NCC jointly convene a series of follow-up workshops to translate best practices from leading states into implementable toolkits for lagging ones.
“As Nigeria strives for universal, affordable, and resilient connectivity, the NCC-NGF partnership signals a collaborative path forward. With states controlling critical administrative processes like land use and security. We will bring political will, coordination capacity, and the convening power of the governors to bear on this agenda.”
