Nigeria expands 15,000km fibre rollout, strengthens cyber defences

The Federal Government says Nigeria is scaling up its digital infrastructure and cybersecurity architecture ahead of the 2027 general elections as it accelerates a nationwide fibre-optic expansion aimed at improving connectivity and strengthening resilience against cyber threats.

Ibrahim Adeyanju, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during activities marking the agency’s 20th anniversary.

Adeyanju said the government had recorded recurring spikes in malicious cyber activity during elections and periods of civil unrest, necessitating sustained investment in national digital security systems.

He said the ongoing Project BRIDGE would deliver more than 15,000 kilometres of additional fibre-optic infrastructure across the country, with the objective of deepening broadband penetration, improving digital inclusion, and extending connectivity to underserved and unserved communities.

According to him, about 30 States are already benefiting from Galaxy Backbone’s existing fibre deployments, while the new expansion phase championed by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is expected to fast-track connectivity to remaining states and local government areas.

“With the current state-of-the-art digital infrastructure being deployed across Nigeria, the country now has the capability to frustrate cyber threats and the activities of hackers,” Adeyanju said.

He noted that the anniversary programme includes exhibitions, summits and corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at reviewing two decades of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

The planned summit, themed “Powering Nigeria’s Digital Future,” will focus on the role of technology in accelerating national development, strengthening governance systems, expanding economic opportunities and improving livelihoods.

Adeyanju commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as a strong commitment to digital transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that Nigeria’s youthful population estimated at about 70% stands to benefit significantly from ongoing reforms.

He also praised Tijani for efforts to deepen the country’s digital ecosystem through public-private partnerships, which he said are helping to accelerate growth in startups and small and medium enterprises.

Reflecting on Galaxy Backbone’s two-decade mandate, Adeyanju said the agency was established to address fragmentation in government ICT infrastructure and build a unified digital backbone for public service delivery.

He said the organisation’s fibre network now spans nearly 30 states, supporting connectivity for government institutions and laying the foundation for more efficient digital governance.

Adeyanju added that Galaxy Backbone has also invested in Tier III and Tier IV certified data centres to support secure hosting of critical national systems, data sovereignty, and business continuity.

He noted that through its cloud infrastructure and the 1Government Cloud platform, public institutions can access scalable digital services without the cost burden of independently building infrastructure.

According to him, the combined expansion of fibre infrastructure, strengthened cybersecurity systems, and cloud services places Nigeria in a stronger position to support its growing digital economy and safeguard critical national assets ahead of future elections.