China Industrial Bank backs NUCAP, NCC to expand telecom access to 20 million Nigerians

The Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), an ambitious initiative designed to extend telecommunications services to more than 20 million Nigerians living in underserved and unserved communities, has secured significant financial backing from the China Industrial Bank (CIB).

The project will see the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers nationwide, marking a major step toward closing Nigeria’s digital connectivity gap and accelerating universal access to communication services.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, announced this on Wednesday, after a meeting with a delegation from CIB led by the General Manager, Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters, Peng Shuang.

Tijani, who disclosed this via a post on X, informed that the project targets unserved and underserved areas, particularly rural and riverine communities that currently lack access to reliable connectivity.

Specifically, Tijani said the CIB will be supporting the delivery of at least 1,000 telecom tower sites before the end of this year.

“I am particularly encouraged by the Bank’s commitment to supporting our ambition of delivering a minimum of 1,000 tower sites by the end of this year, helping to bring connectivity, opportunity, and economic inclusion closer to millions of Nigerians,” he stated.

The minister noted that the bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of NUCAP, which is expected to play a major role in deepening digital inclusion and expanding access to communication infrastructure nationwide.

“NUCAP is a wholly green network of modern telecommunications towers that will extend connectivity to these previously unconnected communities, many of them in rural and riverine areas of Nigeria,” Tijani stated.

According to him, CIB’s backing of the initiative represents the bank’s first investment in Nigeria and signals growing international confidence in the country’s digital economy agenda.

Recall that in 2025, the Minister had announced that the government planned to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural areas in the country to bridge the connectivity gap.

Tijani noted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the project as part of a broader strategy to bridge the digital divide.

According to him, the government is committed to ensuring that all Nigerians, especially those in underserved areas, have meaningful access to quality telecommunication services.

The Minister added that the decision to invest in rural infrastructure aligns with the administration’s broader goal of improving digital inclusion and economic opportunities for all citizens.

Already, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecom operators have committed to upgrading 12,000 sites this year to improve service quality across the country.

According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, the operators carried out just over 3000 site upgrades for coverage and capacity in 2025, but with a commitment to 12,000 in 2026, they are now ramping up infrastructure investments and network expansion.