China Industrial Bank backs Nigeria’s telecom project targeting 20 million Nigerians

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced new support from China Industrial Bank (CIB) for the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), an initiative aimed at connecting over 20 million Nigerians in underserved communities.

Tijani disclosed this via a post on X following a meeting with a delegation from CIB led by Peng Shuang, General Manager, Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters.

According to the minister, the project will see the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers across the country, targeting unserved and underserved areas, particularly rural and riverine communities that currently lack access to reliable connectivity.

What the Minister is saying

Specifically, Tijani said the CIB will be supporting the delivery of at least 1,000 telecom tower sites before the end of this year.

• “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,” he stated.

He noted that the bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of NUCAP, which is expected to play a major role in deepening digital inclusion and expanding access to communication infrastructure nationwide.

• “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,” Tijani stated.

According to him, CIB’s backing of the initiative represents the bank’s first investment in Nigeria and signals growing international confidence in the country’s digital economy agenda.

Get up to speed 

Last year, the Minister had announced that the government planned to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural areas in the country to bridge connectivity gap.

Tijani noted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the project as part of a broader strategy to bridge the digital divide.

According to Tijani, the government is committed to ensuring that all Nigerians, especially those in underserved areas, have meaningful access to quality telecommunication services.

The Minister added that the decision to invest in rural infrastructure aligns with the administration’s broader goal of improving digital inclusion and economic opportunities for all citizens.

It is, however, unclear if the 3,700 towers targeted under NUCAP is part of the 7,000 announced last year or a different project entirely.

What you should know

As part of efforts to improve telecom service quality across the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecom operators have committed to upgrading 12,000 sites this year to improve service quality across the country.

According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, Maida, the operators carried out just over 3000 site upgrades for coverage and capacity in 2025, but with a commitment to 12,000 in 2026, they are now ramping up infrastructure investments and network expansion.

He explained that the upgrades include additional spectrum deployment on 4G sites as well as the conversion of older 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G infrastructure.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced new support from China Industrial Bank (CIB) for the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), an initiative aimed at connecting over 20 million Nigerians in underserved communities.

Tijani disclosed this via a post on X following a meeting with a delegation from CIB led by Peng Shuang, General Manager, Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters.

According to the minister, the project will see the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers across the country, targeting unserved and underserved areas, particularly rural and riverine communities that currently lack access to reliable connectivity.

What the Minister is saying

Specifically, Tijani said the CIB will be supporting the delivery of at least 1,000 telecom tower sites before the end of this year.

• “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,” he stated.

He noted that the bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of NUCAP, which is expected to play a major role in deepening digital inclusion and expanding access to communication infrastructure nationwide.

• “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,” Tijani stated.

According to him, CIB’s backing of the initiative represents the bank’s first investment in Nigeria and signals growing international confidence in the country’s digital economy agenda.

Get up to speed 

Last year, the Minister had announced that the government planned to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural areas in the country to bridge connectivity gap.

Tijani noted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the project as part of a broader strategy to bridge the digital divide.

According to Tijani, the government is committed to ensuring that all Nigerians, especially those in underserved areas, have meaningful access to quality telecommunication services.

The Minister added that the decision to invest in rural infrastructure aligns with the administration’s broader goal of improving digital inclusion and economic opportunities for all citizens.

It is, however, unclear if the 3,700 towers targeted under NUCAP is part of the 7,000 announced last year or a different project entirely.

What you should know

As part of efforts to improve telecom service quality across the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecom operators have committed to upgrading 12,000 sites this year to improve service quality across the country.

According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, Maida, the operators carried out just over 3000 site upgrades for coverage and capacity in 2025, but with a commitment to 12,000 in 2026, they are now ramping up infrastructure investments and network expansion.

He explained that the upgrades include additional spectrum deployment on 4G sites as well as the conversion of older 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G infrastructure.