Nigeria’s states take extensively totally different approaches to the price of laying fibre-optic cables. Some have waived Right of Way (RoW) fees; others cost the ₦145-per-metre benchmark, whereas Ogun State prices as much as ₦6,600 ($4.84) per metre. Yet these variations don’t neatly clarify the place fibre infrastructure has been constructed, elevating questions on what else drives investment.
Administrative reforms and project-specific concessions could assist offset excessive fees, however there’s little proof that they achieve this systematically. The Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) describes itself as a one-stop regulator for utility infrastructure, and the state has introduced a web-based allowing system to streamline approvals for fibre, masts and towers. However, the announcement doesn’t set up whether or not the system has lowered processing occasions or prices or eliminated necessities similar to environmental approvals.
Ogun has additionally reportedly waived RoW prices for a selected 250-kilometre MainOne deployment, however that historic concession doesn’t set up that related incentives are usually accessible immediately. There isn’t any verified proof of a telecom-specific tax-break programme that explains the substantial fibre networks in these high-fee states. Without entry to operators’ permits, concession agreements and investment choices, it stays unclear whether or not incentives offset the fees or whether or not firms make investments regardless of them.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) Ease of Doing Business portal, published in July 2026, reveals that Ogun has 4,246.48 kilometres of deployed fibre, whereas Kano and Rivers, which cost ₦2,754 (2.02) and ₦2,256(1.65) per metre respectively, have 4,616.71 kilometres and 4,616.01 kilometres. Delta, with a fee of ₦2,706 ($1.98) per metre, has 4,202.62 kilometres.
RoW prices are just one element of deployment prices. Trenching and duct set up additionally rely on floor situations, water crossings, building strategies and entry to current infrastructure. The NCC portal’s payment and deployment indicators don’t present route-level building prices. Broader proof establishes why this issues: the World Bank identifies civil works because the dominant element of sure broadband deployments, accounting for as much as 80% of prices in some circumstances.
At the opposite finish of the spectrum, Ebonyi, which prices a ₦145 benchmark, has simply 586.92 kilometres of fibre. Bayelsa, at ₦850 ($0.62) per metre, has a size of 656.87 kilometres. Jigawa and Zamfara, each of which have waived the payment, have 970.10 kilometres and 1,100.98 kilometres, respectively.
The disparity raises a crucial query about closing Nigeria’s connectivity gaps: what is going to persuade operators to spend money on locations they’ve largely ignored? Lower fees could scale back deployment prices, however they don’t essentially make a venture commercially viable. Understanding what drives investment is important to making sure that these reforms lengthen broadband to underserved communities, fairly than merely decreasing prices in locations the place operators already intend to construct.
High fees, low deployment
Sango-Ota, a significant city in Ogun State. Image supply: Femi Adedesin-Kuti
Ogun presents a very putting case. Its ₦6,600 ($4.84) per metre payment is greater than 45 occasions the ₦145 ($0.11) benchmark. A hypothetical 10-kilometre deployment would appeal to ₦66 million ($48,387) in RoW prices alone, in contrast with ₦1.45 million ($1,063) on the benchmark fee.
Despite this excessive cost, Ogun has greater than 4,200 kilometres of deployed fibre. Kano and Rivers even have greater than 4,600 kilometres every, regardless of charging considerably above the benchmark. These current networks point out that operators have constructed vital infrastructure in high-fee jurisdictions, pushed by business markets, strategic transport corridors, enterprise prospects, and current telecoms infrastructure.
The comparability with low-fee states raises the other query. Ebonyi’s 586.92 kilometres of fibre and Bayelsa’s 656.87 kilometres are considerably beneath the footprints in Ogun, Kano, and Rivers. Jigawa and Zamfara even have fewer than 1,200 kilometres regardless of waiving RoW prices. A waiver removes one price from a deployment venture, but it surely doesn’t assure that anticipated income will justify building, gear, upkeep, and safety prices the place demand is restricted.
The image shouldn’t be uniformly unfavourable to states which have lowered or eradicated their fees. Kaduna, which has waived RoW prices, has 4,339.85 kilometres of fibre, placing it amongst Nigeria’s main states for deployment. Anambra, one other zero-fee state, has 2,547.34 kilometres, whereas Niger has 3,383.43 kilometres.
These examples matter as a result of they present {that a} zero-fee coverage and a considerable fibre footprint can coexist. However, whole fibre figures mirror collected infrastructure over time fairly than latest coverage impacts. A state with a big community could have attracted investment earlier than decreasing its fees, whereas a state with a smaller community could have launched a waiver not too long ago and has but to see its full impact.
Lagos exposes a separate pricing downside
Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory complicate the argument that prime right-of-way (RoW) fees essentially deter investment. The NCC portal lists Lagos’s RoW cost at ₦850 ($0.62) per metre and the FCT’s at ₦950 ($0.70). Yet Lagos has 11,586.70 kilometres of fibre, whereas the FCT has 6,973.13 kilometres. Together, they account for 18,559.83 kilometres, or 18.35% of Nigeria’s reported 101,148.36-kilometre fibre community.
Their sizeable networks mirror the focus of companies, monetary establishments, authorities companies, knowledge centres and different main connectivity customers in each areas. But Lagos additionally exposes an issue past its fees: inconsistent revealed charges. While the NCC portal lists ₦850 ($0.62) per metre, the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) lists ₦1,500 ($1.10) per metre for fibre. It additionally publishes a ₦50,000 ($36.66) utility payment and an administrative and project-management cost equal to fifteen% of allow fees.
For operators, the discrepancy makes growth prices tougher to foretell. A ten-kilometre fibre route would appeal to a base cost of ₦8.5 million ($6,232) on the NCC-listed fee, in contrast with ₦15 million ($11,000) at LASIMRA’s fee—a distinction of ₦6.5 million ($4,765) earlier than extra prices. If LASIMRA’s 15% administrative and project-management payment applies to the bottom fibre allow cost, it could add ₦2.25 million ($1,650). Including the ₦50,000 ($36.66) utility payment, the full would attain ₦17.3 million ($12,683) earlier than building prices. This is an illustrative calculation, not a confirmed bill; operators want readability on which schedule applies.
The NCC acknowledges that charges could differ and directs operators to verify the relevant prices with LASIMRA earlier than making funds. “Charges may vary depending on project location and scope. Operators are advised to engage the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) for updated rates and guidelines,” the commission says on its website.
The downside extends past the quantity operators pay to the uncertainty surrounding their prices. Higher upfront fees tie up capital that would fund different deployment wants, whereas inconsistent charges make it tougher to finances for initiatives and assess their business viability.
Lagos’s intensive fibre community reveals that substantial infrastructure can coexist with excessive prices, but it surely doesn’t set up that these prices don’t have an effect on future investment. Operators should nonetheless weigh the total price of deployment in opposition to anticipated demand, notably on much less worthwhile routes. Clear, constantly utilized fees may scale back uncertainty and enhance the prospects of initiatives that may in any other case battle to make business sense.
Fibre kilometres are usually not capital expenditure
The size of a fibre community gives a helpful measure of deployment, however it’s not a direct measure of investment. Costs fluctuate with route situations, excavation and street reinstatement, gear, community design, and the extent to which operators can use current infrastructure. An extended community doesn’t essentially imply extra capital was invested, simply as a shorter one doesn’t mechanically point out weaker investment.
Determining whether or not decrease RoW fees appeal to investment requires knowledge that hyperlinks coverage modifications to precise deployment. The NCC and state governments ought to publish annual figures on new fibre laid, together with the dates of payment modifications, allow functions, approval occasions and operators’ state-level capital expenditure. Such knowledge would assist distinguish the impact of decrease fees from different elements influencing the place operators construct.
A commissioner in a northern state, who requested anonymity due to considerations in regards to the upcoming common elections, mentioned little had modified because the state adopted a ₦145-per-metre payment. The commissioner additionally pointed to Nasarawa, which has waived the cost however, within the commissioner’s evaluation, has but to see an enchancment in infrastructure deployment. He didn’t present particular figures for operator allow functions submitted earlier than and after the adoption of the ₦145 payment.
These accounts counsel that decrease fees alone is probably not sufficient to spur investment, though assessing their impact requires time-series knowledge on deployment and capital expenditure.
Anambra State, in the meantime, views its zero-fee coverage as a long-term investment in connectivity fairly than a right away income driver.
“Anambra’s zero-RoW-fee policy is a strategic investment in expanding broadband infrastructure, improving connectivity and accelerating digital inclusion,” Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr., managing director and chief government of the Anambra State ICT Agency, instructed TechCabal. “We see it as an enabler of long-term digital growth, with continued efforts to deepen infrastructure deployment across the state.”
Move past assuming cheaper fees mechanically produce extra fibre. Ogun, Kano, and Rivers preserve substantial networks regardless of excessive prices, whereas Ebonyi, Bayelsa, and Jigawa have comparatively little infrastructure regardless of decrease fees. High fees don’t halt growth the place robust business demand exists, simply as waivers can’t single-handedly make an unviable market worthwhile.
For state governments, the actual take a look at is whether or not decrease fees are adopted by quicker approvals, newly laid fibre, larger capital investment, and expanded connectivity past main city centres. Until states systematically monitor and report new building following coverage modifications, payment reductions stay an enter into investment coverage—not proof that investment has truly elevated.
South Africa’s spam calls reached 17.5 billion within the first half of 2026. Now, the federal government needs firms to show they’ve checked who they name earlier than they press ship.
The National Consumer Commission (NCC), South Africa’s shopper watchdog, launched a National Opt-Out Registry on Wednesday that can permit customers to pre-emptively block undesirable direct advertising and marketing.
The registry is a part of a sweeping authorities effort to deal with South Africa’s rising spam-call downside. Marketers should register with the system and cleanse their lists each month earlier than operating campaigns. Fintechs, banks, telcos, insurers, retailers and different digital companies might want to construct shopper opt-outs into their advertising and marketing programs.
Truecaller’s 2026 South Africa Spam Report discovered that there have been 17.5 billion spam calls between January and June, 25.2% increased than the identical interval in 2025. Spam brief message service (SMS) messages additionally jumped 58.9% to three.7 billion
The numbers assist clarify why the NCC is transferring past asking customers to disregard or block undesirable messages and is as a substitute imposing obligations on the businesses that ship them.
Parks Tau, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, mentioned the growing sophistication of spam and scams required a stronger regulatory response.
“South Africans are becoming more alert, but alertness alone cannot substitute for a proper regulatory backstop,” Tau mentioned on the launch. “Scam and marketing networks are becoming more sophisticated, using spoofing and artificial intelligence to reach consumers.”
The registry offers impact to Section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act, which provides customers the best to dam undesirable direct advertising and marketing communication. Tau believes the difficulty pertains to knowledge and privateness, as extra firms depend on private info to achieve potential prospects.
“Section 14 of our Constitution guarantees everyone the right to privacy. A person’s phone number, email address and time are not raw material to be harvested and traded without their consent,” he mentioned.
For firms, nevertheless, the problem will likely be translating that precept into their current advertising and marketing programs.
The NCC mentioned direct entrepreneurs have been in a position to register on the registry since September 15 and have till December 2026 to finish their registration. They will then have 5 months, from December to April 2027, to cleanse their advertising and marketing lists and put together to interface with the system for gratis.
From May 2027, registered customers will be capable of pre-emptively block direct entrepreneurs from contacting them.
The registry means firms should account for it earlier than launching campaigns, doubtlessly requiring modifications to buyer databases, campaign-management instruments, and inside compliance processes.
“This is a momentous occasion for consumers who have for years been flooded with unwanted direct marketing,” Hardin Ratshisusu, the NCC’s Acting Commissioner, mentioned. “The National Opt-Out Registry will promote responsible direct marketing, ensuring consumers are protected from unwanted direct marketing through spam calls, texts, e-mails and other electronic communication.”
The NCC mentioned the phased rollout will give companies time to arrange and that it’ll publish additional steering whereas operating a shopper training programme.
True scale calls for transferring past surface-level integrations to strong execution. We’ve filtered the noise out of Moonshot 2026, optimising the convention strictly for high-calibre connections between startup founders, international monetary operators, enterprise leaders and people rewiring Africa’s technical frameworks. Get 20% off Early Bird tickets for a limited time.
