Firm seeks extension of digital backbone beyond Lagos

Nigeria’s digital infrastructure must be expanded beyond Lagos to ensure equitable access to connectivity across the country, Chief Executive Officer of Geniserve, Gbenga Adegbiji, said in an interview with The PUNCH.

Adegbiji emphasised that while Lagos has a significant concentration of fibre-optic capacity, other regions remain underserved, creating a digital divide.

“Currently, there is substantial capacity concentrated in Lagos, but the challenge has been extending this capacity to other parts of Nigeria. The government’s initiative aims to ensure that every state has access to this infrastructure,” he said.

The Federal Government’s plan to roll out an additional 90,000 kilometre of fibre-optic cable presents an opportunity to bridge this gap, Adegbiji noted.

The expansion project aligns with the National Broadband Plan, which aims to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025.

The initiative is expected to drive economic growth, boost innovation, and enhance digital services across the country.

“I believe the Federal Government is taking the right approach with this intervention. It comes at a crucial time because the demand for digital services is growing at a much faster rate than the pace of infrastructure development, creating a significant gap,” he added.

Adegbiji also highlighted missed opportunities in previous expansion efforts, saying, “When Globacom was granted a second national carrier license, it had the potential to build a more extensive fibre network, which would have allowed other telecom operators like MTN and Airtel to leverage that infrastructure instead of building their own. However, that didn’t happen as expected.”

He stressed that expanding fibre beyond Lagos is essential for true digital inclusion, ensuring that connectivity reaches underserved areas such as Maiduguri and Sokoto.

“This is a game-changer because it means that the same digital opportunities available in Lagos can now reach places like Maiduguri, Sokoto, and other underserved regions,” he said.

Beyond laying fibre, Adegbiji called for a comprehensive framework to extend connectivity to schools, universities, homes, and businesses.

“Once the main fibre backbone is in place, it becomes easier to extend connectivity to institutions and enterprises, making technology more accessible and affordable,” he stated.