Nigeria expands telecom investment, to install new 1,000 towers

The Nigerian Government is set to accelerate telecom infrastructure development in rural areas, targeting the installation of 1,000 new telecommunications towers in 2026 as part of a broader strategy to expand digital connectivity and bridge longstanding access gaps.

Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a briefing on the National Digital Economy Research Clusters Programme, part of the World Bank-backed Project BRIDGE.

Tijani revealed that “The president has approved 3,700 towers nationwide… we are working to deliver at least 1,000 of these this year,” noting that more than 20 million Nigerians remain in areas without any form of connectivity.

He explained that the tower rollout is part of a broader digital infrastructure strategy, which includes deploying 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic network across all states, local governments, and wards. “If we have a ubiquitous fibre network across Nigeria, complaints about service quality will change completely… true connectivity requires fibre,” Tijani emphasized.

The government’s strategy also includes upgrading communication satellites and expanding digital access, a combination the minister described as unprecedented among developing countries.

Tijani highlighted the launch of the National Digital Economy Research Clusters, a university-led initiative designed to support evidence-based policymaking. Each of the six clusters will bring together leading academics, supported by postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates, with over 200 researchers expected to contribute over three years.

Backed by N12 billion over three years, the programme is intended to generate data-driven insights to guide both government and private sector decisions. International collaborations are expected to complement domestic research efforts.

On governance, Tijani said the clusters will operate under a structured framework with the communications and education ministries, alongside independent management to ensure transparency and accountability.

The minister also noted that the digital economy’s contribution to GDP has risen to nearly 20 per cent, with a target of 21 per cent next year. He highlighted flagship initiatives such as the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, which aims to build technology capacity across all 774 local government areas.

Nigeria continues to attract Africa’s largest telecom investment inflows, with operations of major firms in the country exceeding those in their home markets.

Tijani further revealed that the Digital Economy Bill is before the National Assembly to provide a unified legal framework, alongside plans for a national data exchange system, AI strategy, and digital postcode system to enhance service delivery and commerce.

He added that Nigeria ranks 35th globally in policy capacity, anchored by the National Strategy, and 49th in development and diffusion, reflecting growing strength in research, talent, and innovation.

The minister linked the research clusters to Project BRIDGE, a programme that includes 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic network and 3,700 towers to expand rural connectivity. “If we have a ubiquitous fibre network across Nigeria, the complaints today about connectivity quality will change completely,” he said.

Each cluster will operate under annual targets for publications, workshops, and training.

Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s education system to support economic growth, prioritizing connectivity for schools and hospitals. He disclosed a $2 billion World Bank facility to fund fibre expansion.

The research clusters are expected to address digital governance, online safety, job creation, and agricultural innovation, while building capacity among postgraduate researchers. Alausa emphasized that the programme would catalyze further investment and stimulate entrepreneurship through equity-free student grants.

Academic leaders, including the Vice-Chancellors of Olabisi Onabanjo University and Ajayi Crowther University, commended the initiative, noting its potential to accelerate digital transformation, reduce brain drain, and integrate universities fully into the digital economy.

The planned rollout is part of the government’s broader 3,700-tower rural connectivity plan, initially announced in December 2025, which aims to connect millions of Nigerians currently without reliable mobile or internet access.

Tijani said the clusters are designed to address key areas including connectivity, digital public infrastructure, skills development, jobs, consumer protection, and artificial intelligence. “The digital economy is a knowledge-driven sector. We cannot rely only on ideas developed elsewhere. We must generate our own insights, rooted in our realities,” he said.

The initiative reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to expand the digital economy, which has grown from contributing 16–18 per cent of GDP when the current administration took office to nearly 20 per cent today, on track to meet the government’s 21 per cent target.

The growth has been supported by investments in talent development, infrastructure expansion through Project BRIDGE and NUCAP, and strengthened space and communications capabilities, including the approval of two new satellites.

Tijani emphasized that universities must evolve beyond teaching to become engines of problem-solving. He cited previous government-supported research efforts in artificial intelligence, which produced 27 peer-reviewed publications from 45 funded projects in 2023 alone, as evidence of Nigeria’s growing research capacity.

“The Digital Economy Research Clusters will bring together universities, researchers, and global partners into focused clusters that directly inform policy and innovation,” Tijani explained. He highlighted that the clusters aim to build long-term research capacity, strengthen policy, and deepen Nigeria’s ability to adopt and deploy technology effectively.

The launch represents a major step toward ensuring that Nigeria not only adopts emerging technologies but also generates the research and talent needed to shape and influence the global digital landscape.

“It’s not just about the 200 researchers. It’s the cascading effect that will happen afterwards. The initiative won’t stop here; it will continue to grow from what we’re starting today,” he said.

Business Day

Gunmen kill at least 30 in Nigeria's Plateau state attack

Gunmen attacked a university community in Nigeria's central Plateau state on Sunday night, killing ​at least 30 people, residents and local officials said on Monday, ‌the latest bloodshed in a region scarred by deadly farmer-herder conflicts.

Violence in central Nigeria, known as the Middle Belt, is often painted as ethno-religious between ​mainly Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers. But many experts ​and politicians say climate change and expanding agriculture stoke ⁠competition for land, leading to conflicts regardless of faith or ethnicity.

Markus ​Audu Kando, a resident and co-chair of Plateau youth interfaith group ​said by phone: "As I speak with you, the figure is now 30 ... There are injured people at the hospital, but I cannot confirm their number."

Residents said ​the gunmen arrived in the Gari Ya Waye community of ​Angwan Rukuba district and shot at people indiscriminately.

The Plateau state government said the gunmen ‌were ⁠unknown and imposed a 48-hour curfew in the district. The University of Jos suspended examinations due to start on Monday.

“People were here in the evening and unfortunately, wicked terrorists came and attacked our ​people. We have ​counted scores ⁠of people who are now dead and then so many others are also in the hospital receiving ​treatment,” Paul Mancha, a resident and chairperson of the ​youth ⁠council in Plateau, said earlier.

U.S. President Donald Trump last November re-designated Nigeria "a country of particular concern" saying Christians were being targeted and authorities ⁠were failing ​to protect them, which the Nigerian ​government denies.

Reuters

Press groups condemn Nigeria police beating journalist covering Eid celebrations

Press rights groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Media Rights Organization (MRA), and International Press Centre, on Friday condemned the March 21 beating of Nigerian journalist Muhammad Sani Adamu in Bauchi state by local police.

The CPJ called for authorities to transparently conduct investigations and hold those responsible to account. The CJID described the incident as a gross violation of human rights and press freedom, emphasizing the importance of media protections and calling the press a “constitutionally recognized pillar of democracy” that requires a safe environment to function properly. The CJID also pressured Nigerian police to cover Adamu’s medical expenses.

The MRA told the Bauchi state police commissioner that he must act decisively to end attacks against journalists, including instituting appropriate training for police officers on the rights and constitutional duties of journalists, issuing operational directives on engagement with media, and enforcing disciplinary consequences for violations.

Organizations collectively called for greater accountability for police abuses and protection for journalists. The CPJ said that attacks against journalists in Nigeria occur “with general impunity.” WikkiTimes Media Foundation, a local media group, said the violence was “not an isolated incident” and worried that it reflected a “recurring pattern of police violence against journalists.” The CPJ has previously condemned other attacks against journalists in Bauchi state, including 14 attacks against journalists covering Nigerian presidential and federal elections in February 2023 and criminal charges levied against two journalists in July 2022 for political reporting.

Adamu had attempted to gain access to Eid Durbar festivities held in Tafawa Balewa Square in Bununu, in northeastern Nigeria. He told press groups that he tried to show his press badge to police and identify himself as a journalist. The situation quickly escalated as two officers began to physically assail him. A group of at least 10 policemen then reportedly joined to flog him with sticks, cutting his head open.

A police spokesperson said Bauchi police planned to conduct an investigation into the incident and publicly release findings.

The attack reflects a pattern of reported state abuse of Nigerian journalists, including arbitrary detention and criminalization of reporting. The MRA had filed a lawsuit that resulted in a February 2024 federal high court judgment ordering authorities to investigate and appropriately punish all attacks by journalists. The court held that the state had violated Principle 20 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, which protects the safety of journalists.

By Tony Xun, Jurist News

146 deaths recorded, 38 health workers infected as Lassa fever spreads in Nigeria

Nigeria has reported 146 deaths from Lassa fever between January and mid-March, as infections continue to spread across the country.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed this in its latest situation report for Epidemiological week 11, spanning 9 to 15 March.

The infectious disease agency said 38 health workers have also been infected so far this year, highlighting ongoing risks within healthcare settings.

The report shows that the case fatality rate (CFR) stands at 25.1 per cent, significantly higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

During the reporting week, confirmed cases rose from 40 in week 10 to 66, with new infections recorded in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Plateau, Edo, Benue, Kogi, Gombe and Niger states.

Cumulatively, 21 states and 82 local government areas have recorded at least one confirmed case in 2026.

According to the NCDC, five states —Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo—account for 85 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Bauchi leads with 28 per cent of infections, followed by Ondo (21 per cent), Taraba (20 per cent), while Benue and Edo each account for eight per cent. The remaining 15 per cent of cases are distributed across 16 other states.

More details

NCDC noted that young adults aged 21 to 30 years remain the most affected group, although cases have been recorded across a wide age range, from 1 to 90 years.

Despite the rise in weekly cases, the NCDC said no new infections among health workers were recorded in week 11.

However, the cumulative figure of 38 infections among frontline workers highlights the persistent gaps in infection prevention and control measures.

Infections among health workers have consistently been attributed to inadequate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), low suspicion for Lassa fever during early patient contact, and weak infection control practices in some facilities.

Contributing factors

The report also indicates that while the number of suspected and confirmed cases is lower compared to the same period in 2025, the proportion of deaths remains high, suggesting continued challenges with late presentation and case management.

To strengthen response efforts, the NCDC said the national multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System has been activated to coordinate interventions across affected states.

However, several challenges continue to hinder effective control of the outbreak. These include poor health-seeking behaviour driven by the high cost of treatment, low awareness in high-burden communities, and poor environmental sanitation, which contributes to the spread of the virus.

The agency urged state governments to intensify community engagement and prevention efforts year-round, particularly in high-risk areas.

It also advised healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever, ensure early diagnosis and referral, and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

About Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rodents.

Human-to-human transmission can also occur through contact with bodily fluids.

Symptoms typically begin with fever, weakness and headache but can progress to severe complications, including bleeding, respiratory distress and organ failure if not treated early.

By Mariam Ileyemi, Premium Times

Giant oil refinery in Nigeria fails to prevent record gasoline prices

Fuel prices in oil-producing Nigeria have reached record-high levels, industry figures show, as maximum output from the giant Dangote Petroleum Refinery has failed to shield ​the country from the energy market impact of war in the Middle East.

The 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, Africa's largest, became fully operational early this year. It was designed to ‌transform Nigeria into a major exporter of refined products after decades of inadequate refinery capacity. In the past, that repeatedly led to fuel shortages but government subsidies kept pump prices low.

President Bola Tinubu removed this buffer when he took office in 2023, promising reforms that earned plaudits from international investors.

Now Nigerians face the shock of a 65% price spike - the largest among major African economies as the impact of the new refinery has been blunted by the need to import ​large volumes of expensive crude from abroad, even though Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer.

INTERNATIONAL OIL MAJORS TAKE THEIR SHARE

The constraint stems from Nigeria’s financing model: state oil firm the ​Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s joint‑venture crude is tied to oil-backed loans and pre‑export deals.

That means much of Nigeria's roughly 1.5 million barrels-per-day of production goes ⁠to paying debts to international oil majors, banks and traders. The NNPC does not disclose its obligations, but analysts estimate they amount to about 400,000 bpd.

David Bird, managing director at Dangote, told local ​TV that the company can only source about five crude cargoes a month locally, far short of the 13–15 required. It has to import the rest at prices dictated by the impact of the Middle ​Eastern war. For Nigeria the size of a cargo is typically around a million barrels.

The difficulty is compounded because Nigeria does not have a strategic fuel reserve and the government has yet to begin action to set one up.

"A strategic reserve would have shielded Nigeria somewhat from the inflationary effects of price spikes and keep refineries supplied during prolonged disruptions," Mikolaj Judson, an analyst at advisory company Control Risks, said.

IRAN WAR CAUSES UNPRECEDENTED SUPPLY DISRUPTION

The energy supply disruptions ​that have followed U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, which began at the end of February, are unprecedented. As a result of the conflict, shipment through the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about one-fifth of ​global energy supplies, is effectively closed for commercial shipping.

International oil prices have leapt to well above $100 a barrel, roughly 50% higher than before the war began, boosting the profits of many energy majors, while governments and ordinary ‌consumers grapple with ⁠the risk of a surge in inflation.

In Nigeria, pump prices have risen by 65%, more than elsewhere in the region, where government price controls have limited the rise.

Between March 2 and March 21, fuel prices rose by about 10–17% in Ghana, were unchanged in Kenya due to price controls, and increased by around 1% in South Africa, according to industry and regulatory pricing data.

INFLATION IS REIGNITED AFTER IT HAD BEGUN TO COOL

In Nigeria, inflation had begun to ease after reaching a record high last year, but since the start of the war, the cost of transport and some food items has doubled.

“We are already feeling it ​in Nigeria,” said Salau Sodiq, a 25‑year‑old frozen-food-seller ​in Lagos. "The prices of fish and chicken have ⁠doubled, customers are complaining, sales are falling, and it’s becoming harder for us to buy the volumes we need."

Ride‑hailing drivers in Lagos last week staged protests.

Nigeria's unreliable grid means many others are also exposed to expensive refined products as businesses and households rely on gasoline and diesel to power generators.

INCREASED VOLUMES DOMESTICALLY ​AND ALSO ABROAD

Dangote has raised gasoline supplies to Nigeria’s domestic market this month, even as it met growing demand from across Africa.

It sets its fuel ​prices in line with international ⁠fuel and crude benchmarks, factoring in freight and insurance costs.

The result was it raised its wholesale price by about 61% between early and late March, meaning customers are paying around 1,400 naira ($1.02) per litre in Lagos and Abuja, the highest Nigerians have ever paid.

After meeting Tinubu last week, Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, said the conflict in the Middle East would worsen economic hardship across Africa unless it was urgently resolved.

Businesses and ⁠labour unions have ​called on the government for emergency relief, including tax incentives for refiners, more naira‑based crude supply and temporary cushioning measures, ​while accelerating longer‑term energy reforms.

In southern Oyo State, the governor approved a 10,000‑naira transportation allowance for state government workers, to run for three months from April, to help offset rising fuel prices.

But Wale Edun, Nigeria's finance minister, said the government will not ​interfere with an "orderly market pricing system", preferring instead to focus on ways of helping people to adapt.
($1 = 1,377.8300 naira)

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters