• 15 Nigerian states scrap telecom right-of-way charges to boost fiber rollout
• Policy linked to faster expansion and improved network quality
• 21 states yet to comply, keeping deployment costs significantly higher

About 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states have scrapped right-of-way (RoW) charges for telecom operators deploying fiber optic networks, as federal authorities push to speed up digital infrastructure rollout nationwide.

The figure was announced on April 23 by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), at a press conference in Lagos, according to The Guardian Nigeria. He was speaking about the rollout of a subscriber compensation mechanism.

At the same event, NCC Director of Technical Services Edoyemi Ogoh said removing RoW charges should help improve network quality in affected states. He also urged local authorities to fast-track approvals for infrastructure deployment.

The NCC said states that have adopted zero RoW charges are seeing faster fiber network expansion. Kaduna and Niger states are among the most advanced, using the policy to expand connectivity, especially in underserved rural areas.

Nigeria’s harmonized RoW rate stands at 145 naira (about $0.11) per meter. It was set in 2017 under a federal-state agreement to standardize fees that previously ranged from 4,000 to 8,000 naira depending on the state.

Despite progress, 21 states have yet to scrap the charges, despite repeated calls from authorities. The GSMA says non-compliance continues to push up deployment costs, with increases of up to 70%.

The government is currently implementing the BRIDGE project, which aims to roll out 90,000 km of fiber nationwide at a cost of about $2 billion. The GSMA estimates that full compliance with the harmonized rate could cut deployment costs by around 15%.

Isaac K. Kassouwi