States Frustrate Telecom Expansion With Hidden Right Of-Way

States Frustrate Telecom Expansion With Hidden Right-of-Way Charges Several Nigerian states are frustrating telecom operators with exorbitant right-of-way RoW and application charges despite Federal Government efforts to harmonise RoW fees at N145 per linear metre, threatening the expansion of broadband and fibre-optic infrastructure. The policy, introduced following a 2020 directive by the National Economic Council, was designed to lower deployment costs and accelerate broadband penetration. However, an analysis of ease-of-doing-business data obtained from the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC shows that operators continue to face substantial additional charges in many states. Despite the Federal Government’s pressure on states to harmonise right of way RoW charges to N145 per While Adamawa has eliminated RoW fees, operators still pay N100,000 per application. Cross River charges N250,000, Ekiti N700,000, Taraba N350,000, and Oyo N50,000 in application fees despite maintaining the N145 per-metre RoW rate.

Other states have retained significantly higher RoW charges. Kano charges N2,754 per metre, Delta N2,706, Rivers N2,256, Osun N1,500, Akwa Ibom N2,000, while Ogun reportedly imposes the highest charge at N6,600 per linear metre. Industry stakeholders argue that some of the so-called application, environmental, educational and developmental levies amount to hidden RoW charges, effectively undermining the harmonisation policy.The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria ALTON warned that the additional costs make fibre deployment commercially unattractive in some locations, delaying investment and potentially widening Nigeria’s digital divide. Experts say urgent action is needed to enforce a genuinely uniform RoW regime, as high deployment costs could slow broadband expansion and leave rural communities without affordable and reliable internet access.