Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced fresh support from China Industrial Bank (CIB) for the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), a major initiative designed to connect more than 20 million Nigerians in underserved communities.
Tijani disclosed the development in a post on X following a meeting with a delegation from CIB led by Peng Shuang, General Manager of the Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters.
According to the minister, the project will involve the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers across the country, focusing on unserved and underserved areas, particularly rural and riverine communities with limited access to reliable communication services.
He revealed that CIB has committed to supporting the delivery of at least 1,000 telecom tower sites before the end of 2026.
“I am particularly encouraged by the Bank’s commitment to supporting our ambition of delivering a minimum of 1,000 tower sites by the end of this year, helping to bring connectivity, opportunity, and economic inclusion closer to millions of Nigerians,” Tijani said.
The minister noted that the bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of NUCAP, which is expected to significantly deepen digital inclusion and expand access to communication infrastructure nationwide.
According to Tijani, NUCAP is designed as a wholly green telecommunications network that will provide connectivity to previously unconnected communities across the country.
“NUCAP is a wholly green network of modern telecommunications towers that will extend connectivity to these previously unconnected communities, many of them in rural and riverine areas of Nigeria,” he stated.
He added that the support from CIB marks the bank’s first investment in Nigeria and reflects growing international confidence in the country’s digital economy strategy.
The development follows the Federal Government’s broader plan to bridge the digital divide through infrastructure expansion. In 2025, Tijani announced plans to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural communities after receiving approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
According to the minister, the government remains committed to ensuring that all Nigerians, especially those living in underserved areas, have access to quality telecommunications services.
He explained that investment in rural connectivity aligns with the administration’s goal of promoting digital inclusion, economic participation and equal access to opportunities.
However, it remains unclear whether the 3,700 towers planned under NUCAP form part of the previously announced 7,000-tower project or represent a separate initiative.
Meanwhile, efforts to strengthen telecommunications services are also gaining momentum through private sector investments.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecom operators have committed to upgrading 12,000 network sites in 2026 to improve service quality nationwide.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, telecom operators upgraded just over 3,000 sites in 2025 to improve network coverage and capacity.
He said operators are significantly increasing infrastructure investments this year, with plans to complete 12,000 site upgrades across the country.
Maida explained that the upgrades include the deployment of additional spectrum on existing 4G sites and the conversion of older 2G and 3G facilities into modern 4G and 5G infrastructure.
Industry stakeholders believe the combination of new telecom towers and network upgrades will improve connectivity, boost digital participation and support economic growth in underserved communities across Nigeria.
