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5G: $2b funding needed for infrastructure expansion

Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said $2billion funding would be required to provide the requisite infrastructure to support wide adoption of 5G technology in the country.

 He said there is 5G technology in the country but the spate of adoption is low because of limited availability of the infrastructure to support its adoption.

Dr Tijani who spoke on Channels Television’s "Politics Today" programme yesterday, monitored by themorningstar.com.ng in Lagos, estimated that it would cost around $2 billion to wire the entire country for the seamless experience of the network.

According to him, the government is doing everything necessary to increase the number of kilometers of fiber optics cables in Nigeria.

“We do in some places. The infrastructure that drives 5G is not something that is across the nation.

 “So, if you subscribe to 5G and you move into locations where the infrastructure cannot support it, of course, the quality will drop. 5G exists in Nigeria and there are telcos with the licence.

 “We are about 35 to 40 kilometers right now and the goal is to get to 95,000 km. It’s going to cost us roughly about $1.5billion to $2billion to wire the entire of Nigeria because once we can do this, we will start to see changes in the delivery of public services," he said.

The minister pledged that the ministry would work hard to attain the goal of wiring the entire country.

He further said that the new administration aims to connect schools, hospitals, government offices, and other critical locations with optical cable.