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The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the European Union (EU) have commenced a strategic training programme aimed at equipping telecom experts with the skills required to support Nigeria’s ambitious 90,000km fibre optic infrastructure deployment.
The initiative, coordinated by the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in Abuja, brings together officials from telecommunications agencies, digital economy institutions, and regulatory bodies to strengthen capacity for large-scale broadband expansion.
Building Capacity for Digital Infrastructure Development
Leading the delegation are Ghazi Mabrouk and Inga Stefanowicz, who emphasised the importance of technical expertise in delivering resilient and inclusive digital infrastructure.
Mabrouk noted that the training forms part of ITU’s broader efforts to accelerate infrastructure deployment across Africa, supporting digital transformation, financial inclusion, and innovation. He highlighted that the programme was designed to enhance regulatory compliance, strengthen compliance management, and equip stakeholders with the tools needed for effective infrastructure implementation.
Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Ecosystem
Stefanowicz underscored the significance of the initiative, stating that Nigeria’s digital economy requires a robust foundation built on fibre infrastructure, digital skills, and innovation ecosystems. She described the nationwide deployment of 90,000km of fibre optic cables as a transformative project capable of driving connectivity, economic growth, and data privacy-enabled digital services.
She also reiterated the EU’s support for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), noting that sustainable infrastructure development requires collaboration between government and private sector players, supported by strong regulatory frameworks and compliance monitoring tools.
Enhancing Regulatory and Technical Competence
According to DBI President David Daser, the programme represents a milestone in advancing Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure. He explained that the training focuses on building competencies in fibre deployment planning, regulatory risk management, infrastructure sharing, and stakeholder engagement.
Participants will also be trained on key areas such as national broadband strategy, legal and regulatory requirements, compliance analytics, and risk mitigation—ensuring alignment with global RegTech solutions and best practices.
Addressing Deployment Challenges
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) commended the initiative, highlighting its relevance in addressing critical challenges facing the sector. Representing the NCC, Aminu Wada Maida pointed to issues such as high Right of Way (RoW) costs, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and infrastructure vandalism as major barriers to broadband expansion.
He stressed that overcoming these challenges will require coordinated regulatory compliance services, improved compliance workflows, and stronger collaboration across federal and sub-national levels.
Driving Inclusion Through Infrastructure
The fibre rollout, under Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth), aims to extend connectivity to all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. This expansion is expected to enhance access to digital services across sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture, and financial services.
By improving connectivity, the initiative will also support financial compliance, enable digital payments ecosystems, and strengthen fraud detection and anti-money laundering frameworks in an increasingly digital economy.
As Nigeria accelerates its broadband ambitions, initiatives like this training programme highlight the critical role of capacity building in ensuring successful deployment. Strengthening technical expertise, enhancing regulatory monitoring, and adopting advanced compliance technology will be essential to delivering secure, scalable, and future-ready infrastructure.
For the RegTech industry, the programme reinforces the importance of integrating compliance automation, regulatory intelligence, and robust governance systems into large-scale infrastructure projects—ensuring that digital transformation is both sustainable and secure.
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