The Federal Government has begun the rollout of 3,700 communication towers aimed at connecting rural and underserved communities across Nigeria. The first site under the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project was commissioned on Friday in Bende, Abia State.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the project would deliver reliable broadband and mobile services to areas that have long lacked proper network coverage. He noted that more sites would soon be activated in different parts of the country.

Tijani explained that the towers would support education, business, agriculture, healthcare and everyday communication for people living in remote locations. He thanked the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, for helping to bring the project to Bende.

Kalu described the commissioning as a new opportunity for residents of the area. He said better connectivity would make online learning, banking, medical consultations and emergency calls easier for communities that had suffered from poor network access for years.

A representative of IHS Nigeria, one of the partners on the project, said the company was supporting the deployment of rural telecom infrastructure along with public Wi-Fi and smart village solutions. The initiative is expected to expand digital access and bring economic opportunities closer to underserved communities nationwide.