Only 23% rural communities in Nigeria has internet access – NCC

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has raised an alarm over the country’s widening digital divide, revealing that only 23% of rural communities have internet access compared to 57% in urban areas.

Speaking at the Rural Connectivity Summit in Lagos, Dr. Maida labeled the situation a major obstacle to inclusive development and a “national security concern.”

He warned that without urgent intervention, millions in rural areas would remain cut off from essential services like modern education, healthcare, and economic opportunities that depend on digital connectivity.

“A community without digital connectivity is functionally invisible,” Maida stated in his keynote address.

“This ‘digital invisibility’ is an unacceptable situation we must act decisively to end.”

Linking connectivity directly to economic growth, he noted that Nigeria’s current broadband penetration is 48.81%.

He cited research indicating that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can boost a country’s GDP by up to 1.38%.

To bridge this gap, the NCC is using its Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to deploy infrastructure in commercially unattractive areas.

Key initiatives include the Rural Broadband Initiative (RUBI) and the Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion (AMPE).

The USPF has also executed over 2,500 education projects and delivered more than 100,000 computers to schools nationwide.

Dr. Maida commended states that have reduced financial barriers by implementing zero or reduced Right-of-Way (RoW) charges for telecom infrastructure, urging others to follow suit.

He also expressed serious concern over the surge in vandalism, revealing that between January and August 2025 alone, operators recorded over 19,000 fibre cuts and 3,000 cases of equipment theft.

• These attacks, he said, damage investments and degrade service quality for millions.

The NCC boss reaffirmed his commitment to achieving universal connectivity and called for a collective effort from government, operators, and communities to protect telecom infrastructure and unlock rural Nigeria’s economic potential.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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