By George Ozalla
Photo Caption
L-R: Prof. Olalekan Yinusa, Executive Director, Policy, Strategy and Research, Nigeria Governors’ Forum; Mr. Ayuba Shuaibu, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; and Dr. Helen Aderibigbe Adeniyi, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State, during the Second Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on the Study to Develop a Mechanism and Cost Based Structure for Sharing Ducts Built Under the Dig Once Policy in Nigeria, held on July 8, 2026, at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating broadband infrastructure deployment across the country through the effective implementation of the Dig Once Policy, with renewed emphasis on developing a transparent and cost based framework for sharing underground telecommunications ducts.
The Commission restated this commitment during the Second Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on the Study to Develop a Pricing Mechanism and Cost Based Structure for Sharing Ducts Built Under the Dig Once Policy in Nigeria, held at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja.
The consultative forum brought together representatives of federal and state government institutions, telecommunications operators, infrastructure companies, industry associations, development partners and other stakeholders to review the interim findings of the study and provide recommendations that will shape the final framework for duct sharing in Nigeria.
According to a press statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, the initiative is aimed at promoting efficient infrastructure deployment, reducing the cost of broadband expansion and ensuring equitable access to underground telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
Speaking during the forum, the Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at the NCC, Mr. Ayuba Shuaibu, said the engagement reflected the Commission’s commitment to an open, transparent and inclusive regulatory process that accommodates the interests of infrastructure providers, network operators, government institutions and consumers.
Shuaibu explained that the proposed pricing framework is intended to encourage infrastructure sharing, improve the utilisation of existing assets, lower the cost of broadband deployment and facilitate the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure nationwide.
He noted that the study seeks to establish a fair, transparent and commercially sustainable pricing mechanism for sharing underground ducts deployed under Nigeria’s Dig Once Policy, which encourages the installation of telecommunications ducts during road construction and rehabilitation projects to eliminate the need for repeated road excavations whenever fibre optic infrastructure is to be deployed.
He further stated that the Commission is committed to ensuring that the pricing structure balances the interests of infrastructure owners, access seekers and consumers while encouraging sustained investment in broadband infrastructure.
Shuaibu urged participants to make constructive and solution driven contributions that would strengthen the outcome of the study, adding that all observations and recommendations received during the consultation would be carefully reviewed and incorporated into the final report to ensure the framework is practical, commercially sustainable and responsive to industry realities.
In his keynote presentation, the consultant and Managing Director of Dimension Data Limited, Mr. Olugbenga Olabiyi, described passive infrastructure such as ducts, conduits and manholes as some of the most capital intensive components of broadband network deployment globally.
He observed that infrastructure sharing has become a globally recognised strategy for reducing deployment costs, improving operational efficiency and accelerating broadband expansion.
According to Olabiyi, Nigeria’s adoption of the Dig Once Policy provides a strategic opportunity to strengthen coordinated infrastructure deployment, minimise unnecessary road excavations, improve the utilisation of existing facilities and expand broadband access across the country.
He stressed the need for a predictable, transparent and equitable access framework, warning that inconsistent pricing models and unclear access conditions could discourage investment and undermine the benefits of infrastructure sharing.
Olabiyi noted that broadband expansion remains a national priority under Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan and expressed confidence that successful implementation of the Dig Once Policy could become one of the country’s most significant telecommunications infrastructure reforms.
He, however, cautioned that infrastructure sharing can only succeed where access is guided by fairness, transparency, predictability and effective market oversight.
He explained that without an equitable access framework, owners of shared infrastructure could create barriers through excessive pricing, restrictive commercial conditions or discriminatory access practices, thereby frustrating the objectives of the policy.
The consultant commended the NCC for initiating the development of a cost based pricing framework, saying a transparent and objective methodology would inspire confidence among investors, infrastructure companies, mobile network operators, Internet Service Providers, fibre operators and other participants in the communications ecosystem.
Participants at the consultative forum examined the interim findings of the study and made recommendations on the proposed pricing methodology, implementation strategies and cost components required to ensure efficient infrastructure deployment while balancing the interests of infrastructure providers, access seekers and consumers.
The Commission stated that the stakeholder engagement builds on previous consultations and aligns with its broader commitment to implementing regulatory initiatives that encourage infrastructure sharing, promote broadband expansion and advance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
