…Only 11 out of 36 states waive RoW fees

…Over 19,000 fibre cuts, 3,000 theft cases, incessant outages leave telecom operators battling losses in 2025

By Juliet Umeh

As Nigeria races to join the world’s digital elite, one of its biggest barriers isn’t technology, expertise, or investment, it is bureaucracy. The path to the country’s broadband future is literally blocked by what the telecommunications industry calls the Right of Way, RoW, problem.

At the Business Roundtable on Improving Investments in Broadband Connectivity and Safeguarding Critical National Infrastructure, held at the NCC Digital Economy Complex in Abuja recently, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, put the challenge in stark terms.

He said: “One of the most significant barriers to broadband deployment in Nigeria has been the high cost of Right of Way fees charged by state governments. 

“Although the Nigerian Governors’ Forum had agreed on a uniform Right of Way (RoW) charge of N145 per linear metre, varying rates across states continue to cause delays and cost uncertainties for telecom operators.”

A digital goal, a policy gap

Under Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020–2025, the federal government set an ambitious target to achieve 70 percent broadband penetration and deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic backbone by the end of 2025. As of August 2025, the country’s broadband penetration stood at 48.81 percent, with over 140 million Nigerians having access to the internet.

While that progress is notable, up from just 22 percent in 2018, it still falls short of the transformative goals outlined in the plan. Experts say that the uneven application of RoW policies is a major reason why. For every kilometre of fibre laid, operators must negotiate separate agreements across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, often encountering delays, arbitrary levies, or outright refusals.

The States leading the way

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum, in 2020, agreed to harmonize RoW charges at N145 per meter to reduce cost burdens for telecom operators. But five years later, the reality on the ground is mixed. According to the NCC, only 11 states have completely waived RoW fees, while 17 others have capped them at the agreed N145 benchmark.

Between 2023 and 2025, Adamawa, Bauchi, Enugu, Benue, and Zamfara States joined the list of states that have eliminated RoW charges altogether. These policy shifts have made them models of digital cooperation, attracting new network investments and faster broadband rollouts. However, they represent less than one-third of the country, meaning the majority of Nigerian states still impose unpredictable costs that deter private-sector investment.

The cost of inconsistency

The economic and social costs of these policy roadblocks are staggering. Telecom operators say that each delay in fibre deployment slows down access to digital services, whether it’s mobile banking, online education, or e-health initiatives. Worse still, vandalism and infrastructure sabotage continue to compound the problem.

Maida disclosed that between January and August 2025, Nigeria recorded 19,384 incidents of fibre cuts, 3,241 cases of equipment theft, and more than 19,000 denials of access to telecom sites. These disruptions have led to prolonged service outages, revenue losses, and increased maintenance costs. 

“Together,” he warned, “they demonstrate why infrastructure protection must be at the centre of our collective agenda.”

Why uniform policy matters

Experts insist that achieving uniformity in RoW regulation is not just an administrative necessity, it is a prerequisite for national competitiveness. A harmonized framework ensures cost predictability for operators, shortens project delivery timelines, and boosts investor confidence.

It also enables coordinated public works so that roads, bridges, and utilities are developed in tandem with digital infrastructure, minimizing accidental fibre damage and wasteful duplication.

Dr. Maida urged governors to recognize the link between broadband policy and economic growth. 

He cited studies showing that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration can drive about 1.38 percent growth in GDP in developing economies. With Nigeria’s ICT sector already contributing over 16 percent to GDP in 2024, the case for expanding digital infrastructure is stronger than ever.

“Every Governor holds a strategic lever,” he said. “Waiving RoW charges statewide, protecting telecom infrastructure, and proactively supporting fibre deployment are decisions that can determine whether a state prospers or stagnates.”

NCC’s new push for reform

To address these challenges, the NCC is introducing two major tools. The first is the Ease of Doing Business Portal, a one-stop digital platform designed to streamline approvals, monitor timelines, and connect state-level agencies with telecom operators. The second is the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index, NDCI, a state-by-state scorecard that will rank digital readiness, RoW compliance, and infrastructure protection.

Both initiatives, Maida said, are designed to inject transparency into the process and encourage states to compete in digital performance. “What gets measured gets managed,” he added. “What is published gets improved.”

A shared responsibility

Despite these federal interventions, much of the responsibility still lies with state governments. Analysts say that governors must balance their short-term revenue interests with the long-term economic gains of broadband access. A state that forgoes a few million Nairas in RoW fees can gain billions in digital commerce, job creation, and innovation over time.

The EVC’s appeal to governors was both pragmatic and urgent: “If our broadband backbone is weak, our youth will be marginalized, and our economy will likely no achieve its full potential,” he said. “A community without digital connectivity is invisible, it is cut off from education, markets, healthcare, and opportunity.”

The race against time

Nigeria’s broadband race is as much about policy coherence as it is about fibre and bandwidth. The next few months before the 2025 broadband deadline will determine whether the nation reaches its target or remains mired in red tape.

For now, the road to a connected Nigeria still winds through the corridors of state bureaucracy. If the governors act decisively, aligning policy, reducing fees, and protecting infrastructure, Nigeria could yet transform from an oil economy to a digital powerhouse. But if hesitation continues, the dream of nationwide broadband connectivity may remain trapped under the weight of the wrong kind of right of way.
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