NCC urges governors to waive RoW fees as NGF, commission partner on digital economy

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has appealed to state governors to waive or reduce the Right of Way (RoW) fees currently pegged at ₦145 per linear meter, describing it as a major obstacle to telecom companies and fibre optic deployment across the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the appeal in Abuja when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat. He stressed that removing or reducing the fees would accelerate broadband rollout and unlock Nigeria’s digital economy.

“The Right of Way is a critical element in opening up the digital economy, and this lies within the purview of the states,” Maida said, adding that greater alignment between national and subnational infrastructure development would be a “game changer” for digital transformation.

In response, NGF Director-General, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, affirmed the Forum’s readiness to collaborate with the NCC. He described broadband and secure digital infrastructure as “foundational public goods” and outlined four areas of partnership: creating State Broadband Coordinating Councils, harmonizing policies to standardize RoW rules, protecting critical national information infrastructure (CNII), and strengthening information sharing for capacity building.

Shittu cited the World Bank’s SABER initiative, noting that states which harmonized RoW fees and adopted coordinated trenching practices had seen rapid increases in fibre rollout, improved access to high-capacity networks, job creation, and expanded access to education and healthcare.

Both leaders emphasized that easing RoW barriers would not only benefit citizens but also increase productivity, broaden the tax base, and boost internally generated revenue for states.

The NGF proposed leveraging the upcoming NCC Business Roundtable to secure state-level pledges, while follow-up workshops would be convened to translate best practices into practical toolkits.

“As Nigeria strives for universal, affordable, and resilient connectivity, this partnership between the NCC and NGF signals a collaborative path forward,” Shittu said.

Dr. Maida pledged the NCC’s technical leadership and regulatory clarity to fast-track broadband expansion, while the NGF promised political will and coordination capacity to ensure measurable progress.

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