Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced that China Industrial Bank (CIB) will support the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), which aims to provide telecommunications services to more than 20 million Nigerians living in underserved communities.
Tijani revealed this after meeting with a CIB delegation led by Peng Shuang, General Manager of the bank’s Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters.
Under the project, 3,700 telecommunications towers will be built across Nigeria, especially in rural and riverine communities that currently have little or no access to reliable network services.
The minister said CIB has committed to helping Nigeria deliver at least 1,000 telecom tower sites before the end of 2026.
According to Tijani, NUCAP will create a modern telecommunications network that will bring connectivity, economic opportunities and digital inclusion to millions of Nigerians living in previously unconnected areas.
He added that this marks CIB’s first investment in Nigeria and reflects growing international confidence in the country’s digital economy plans.
Last year, the Federal Government announced plans to build 7,000 telecom towers in rural areas to close the country’s connectivity gap. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the project as part of efforts to bridge Nigeria’s digital divide.
Tijani said the government remains committed to ensuring that all Nigerians, particularly those in underserved communities, have access to quality telecommunications services.
It is not yet clear whether the 3,700 towers planned under NUCAP are part of the previously announced 7,000 towers or a separate project.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecom operators have pledged to upgrade 12,000 network sites in 2026 to improve service quality nationwide.
According to NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, telecom operators upgraded just over 3,000 sites in 2025. The planned 12,000 upgrades this year will significantly boost network coverage and capacity.
The upgrades will include deploying additional spectrum on 4G sites and converting older 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G technology.
