NCC and Telecom Stakeholders Demand Right-of-Way Cost Cuts to Fix Poor Network Signals Across Nigeria

NCC and telecom leaders urge state governments to drop high Right-of-Way fees to help companies lay fiber cables and fix poor network signals.

The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) and major telecommunications business leaders have made a strong joint appeal to state governments across Nigeria to slash high Right of Way charges that prevent network providers from laying underground internet cables.

The official call for urgent cost reductions was issued during the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum held on September 30, 2026, in Abuja.

Right of Way is the official permission and fee that state governments demand from mobile phone companies before workers can dig up land or roadsides to lay underground internet wires, known as fiber optic cables.

At the national forum, telecom leaders explained that even though twelve state governments now charge zero fees to encourage digital development, many other state authorities still demand huge sums of money before allowing network cables to pass through their lands.

These expensive land taxes make it very hard for phone businesses to expand fast internet coverage to every town and village across the country.

Lowering these land fees is very important for every phone user in Nigeria because underground cables are like giant water pipes that carry internet data across the country.

When there are not enough underground cables in a community, local phone towers become overloaded with too many users at once.

This leads to dropped calls, slow video loading, failing bank transfers, and weak network signals on smartphones. When state governments reduce these permit fees, network companies can easily lay thousands of miles of fresh cables, making phone calls clear and internet connections fast for everyone.

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Addressing state leaders and government policymakers on the urgent need to remove heavy financial burdens from telecom operators, official delegates at the Abuja connectivity forum highlighted how state rules directly control the speed of internet expansion.

Conference organizers and industry experts noted that “state-level conditions determine the pace of deployment,” emphasizing that states with fair fees enjoy faster economic growth and better network quality for their citizens.

Pointing out how rapidly public data usage is growing while existing physical networks struggle to keep up with consumer demand, conference representatives released an official joint communiqué outlining the core challenge facing the nation.

Industry leaders noted that “demand is outgrowing the networks,” warning that without new underground cable investments, everyday citizens will continue to face frustrating network slowdowns.

Telecommunications and digital services contributed nearly ten percent to Nigeria’s total economic wealth in the middle of 2026.

By working directly with state governors to standardize or drop land permit fees nationwide, the telecom commission aims to attract fresh investments that will expand fast broadband internet to hundreds of local communities across the country.