{
  "id": 9153052,
  "title": "Nigeria set to complete $2B fiber optic rollout in 3 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/nigeria-set-to-complete-2b-fiber-optic-rollout-in-3-years",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-22T15:03:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Semafor",
    "slug": "semafor",
    "url": "https://www.semafor.com/article/09/22/2026/nigeria-set-to-complete-2b-fiber-optic-rollout-in-3-years"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nigeria is set to finish building a 90,000 km fiber optic cable network within the next three years, according to Digital Economy and Communications Minister Bosun Tijani. This project, valued at $2 billion and initially planned for five years, is a critical component of the country's strategy to connect 40 million people without internet access. Tijani highlighted the importance of this initiative during a recent event in New York, stating, \"What we do not have is meaningful connectivity, the sort of connectivity that you truly need to be able to benefit from the sort of innovation that we’re seeing.\"\n\nThe installation of 3,700 telecommunications towers is expected to be completed within the next two years. Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with over 220 million people, currently faces significant gaps in internet access. According to a report by the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa and the global telecom association GSMA, while half of the population resides in areas with internet coverage, most do not utilize it.\n\nIn addition to expanding connectivity, Nigeria has launched an AI strategy to leverage technology in achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030. However, Tijani emphasized the need for local capacity development and data storage reforms to ensure Nigeria does not fall behind. He stated, \"If we truly want AI to be inclusive — even before we start talking about compute — we have to ensure that most countries’ realities are digitized.\" The minister stressed that investing in talent is the foundational step for Nigeria to thrive in the digital age.",
  "summary": "Digital economy and communications minister Bosun Tijani told Semafor the project — initially slated to take five years — is at the core of Nigeria’s plan to harness the power of the internet.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nigeria to complete $2B fiber optic network in 3 years",
    "90,000 km cable network planned for Africa's most populous nation",
    "Minister stresses local capacity development for AI strategy"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}