Digital infrastructure provider WIOCC announced on Tuesday it is partnering with Nigeria’s state-owned ICT and shared services provider Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) to boost broadband infrastructure in Nigeria.
The partnership aims to combine WIOCC’s wholesale fibre network and expertise with GBB’s national fibre footprint to improve scalability, efficiency and service delivery for businesses and government institutions.
GBB currently owns and operates a 1,482-km optical fibre backbone from Abuja across 13 states in Nigeria.
WIOCC and GBB also plan to expand broadband access to underserved regions and establish partnerships with mobile network operators (MNOs).
Both WIOCC and GBB are pitching the partnership as a way to drive growth in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and boost digital inclusion in the country.
“Our mission is to provide robust digital infrastructure that underpins Nigeria’s digital economy,” said Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, MD and CEO of GBB. “This partnership with WIOCC is a testament to our commitment to enabling digital inclusion and providing a platform for collaboration that transforms how businesses, governments and communities operate in today’s world.”
According to the GSMA’s State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2024, 120 million people in Nigeria remain unconnected to the internet.
The Nigerian government’s National Broadband Plan, launched in 2020, aimed to achieve at least 70% broadband penetration by 2025. However, according to the latest figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), broadband subscriber numbers in Nigeria actually dropped this year from 94.3 million in March 2024 to 90.1 million at the end of September, for a penetration rate of 41.5%.
That said, figures for October 2024 saw broadband numbers recover slightly to 91.57 million (42.2%).
For comparison, Nigeria’s broadband penetration was 39.8% when the National Broadband Plan was launched almost five years ago, according to Naiametrics.
