NCC and stakeholders address repeated road digging for fiber optic deployment

This move involves developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing underground telecom ducts, aligning with the Federal Government’s "Dig Once" policy. The initiative, announced at the Second Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja, aims to reduce broadband deployment costs, encourage infrastructure sharing, and accelerate fiber rollout across Nigeria. The "Dig Once" policy mandates that telecommunications ducts be installed during road construction or rehabilitation, enabling multiple operators to use existing underground infrastructure instead of repeatedly digging up roads.

Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, stated that this initiative is crucial for deepening digital infrastructure and improving broadband access. He emphasized that a transparent, commercially viable, and equitable pricing framework is essential for the policy's success, promoting collaboration and efficient use of national resources. Ayuba Shuaibu, Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at the NCC, noted that consultants were engaged in 2023 to address the lack of a pricing mechanism for shared ducts, which was a significant gap in the draft "Dig Once" policy.

He added that the study will provide a structured framework for equitable access and sustainable infr