Niger State has scrapped Right-of-Way (RoW) charges for fibre optic deployment to boost telecom investment and fast-track its push into Nigeria’s digital growth.
The policy, already signed into law by Governor Muhammed Umar Bago and gazetted on September 2, waives the recurring RoW fees entirely. Instead, telecom operators are expected to pay a one-off, non-refundable application fee of ₦500,000—full stop. The fee applies once, whether a company is laying fibre for the first time or expanding ten years later.
Suleiman Isah, the state’s commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy, stated: “Even if a company received its permit ten years ago, they are not required to pay again for expansion—just notify the state.”
That level of regulatory clarity is rare in Nigeria, and it matters.
RoW fees, which are essentially tolls states charge telecom firms for digging up roads to lay fibre cables, have slowed broadband expansion in Nigeria for years. Since 2013, there’s been talk of harmonising the charges across states to ₦145 per metre. Most states ignored it. Niger just leapfrogged that conversation.
And it’s not alone. Ten other states—including Ekiti, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Zamfara—have taken similar steps to eliminate or reduce the fees. But Niger’s twist lies in its structure: a flat ₦500,000 once, and you’re good. That makes it more transparent and predictable for investors than the shifting sands many companies are used to.
The government says it’s laying groundwork for an expansive fibre network. There’s already a 40-kilometre metro fibre ring on the books, along with plans to deploy free public Wi-Fi in strategic locations. Those are the kind of visible infrastructure moves that make private firms take notice.
Governor Bago is betting on this policy to bring real returns: “A no-fee RoW policy will attract substantial investments from telecommunication companies, leading to expanded network coverage, especially in rural and underserved areas, and creating a favourable business environment that supports job creation and economic growth.”
That kind of optimism is shared globally. Countries like Kenya and Rwanda have seen significant leaps in internet penetration and digital inclusion after slashing infrastructure-related red tape. India did the same—scrapped localised fees, and watched fibre networks surge across semi-urban regions. Niger State is apparently trying to plug into that same logic.
Now, with over 3,681 kilometres of fibre already in the ground—making it fifth in the country—Niger isn’t starting from scratch. But this move could finally connect remote parts of the state where internet remains a luxury.
Long term? If the policy holds, we could see a domino effect: more data centres, cheaper broadband, better access to online education, and a fresh push for e-governance.
But it’ll only work if the public-private handshake stays firm. Fibre needs funding, but it also needs freedom from needless government interference.
If nothing else, Niger has thrown down the gauntlet—both to other states dragging their feet and to telecoms who’ve been looking for reasons to scale rural deployment.
