Niger State is the 12th Nigerian State to implement a policy to encourage telecom operators and expand Internet access.
The policy was formalised in the government gazette of September 2, 2024 and signed by Governor Muhammed Bago. It is part a larger effort to attract private sector investment, extend internet to remote communities and digitalise public services. The new policy requires telecom operators to pay a non-refundable, one-time application fee of N500,000. Suleiman Isah is the Niger State Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy. According to him, this fee covers both the initial network deployment and future expansions. Isah told TechCabal that even if a company has a permit from ten years ago, it is not required to pay for an expansion. It only needs to notify the state. RoW fees, which are imposed by state governments on companies that lay fibre optic cables, have long been a barrier to the expansion of broadband in Nigeria. They create high entry costs for telecoms operators such as MTN Nigeria and Globacom.
In 2013, the National Executive Council (NEC), a government body, began a campaign to harmonise Right-of-Way Fees. proposed a uniform fee per linear metre of N145 ($0.09). Only 35% of the states have reduced or waived the fees.
Niger is now on the list of states that have eliminated or reduced RoW fees to attract investment. These include Zamfara, Katsina and Anambra. “A no-fee RoW will attract substantial investment from telecommunications companies, leading to increased network coverage, particularly in rural and underserved regions, and creating a favorable business environment that supports employment creation and economic growth,” said Governor Bago in the gazette.
Niger hopes that the waiver will encourage operators to invest in fibre-optic infrastructure and help close connectivity gaps in one of Nigeria’s most underserved and largest regions.
