The Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), a landmark initiative aimed at bringing connectivity to over 20 million Nigerians in unserved communities through the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers across the country, has received significant backing from China Industrial Bank (CIB).
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, announced this development on Wednesday following a meeting with a delegation from CIB led by the General Manager of the Strategic Emerging Industries Business Headquarters, Peng Shuang. Tijani disclosed the news via a post on X, noting that the project targets unserved and underserved areas, particularly rural and riverine communities that currently lack reliable connectivity.
Specifically, Tijani stated that CIB will support 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 said.
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. In 2025, the minister had announced that the government planned to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural areas 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.
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, operators carried out just over 3,000 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. He explained that the upgrades include additional spectrum deployment on 4G sites as well as the conversion of older 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G infrastructure.
