Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has made significant investments in digital infrastructure across the State, resulting in Edo emerging as the second-highest ranking state in Nigeria with fibre optic infrastructure.
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According to the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s white paper titled ‘Deepening Nigeria’s National Backbone and Middle Mile Infrastructure,’ Edo boasts an impressive 4,892.71km of fibre optic cable network, a close second to Lagos State, which has 7,864.60km of cable infrastructure.
This is out of the total 78,676km of cable infrastructure across Nigeria. Obaseki’s investment in digital infrastructure is a significant milestone for the State, as it provides a solid foundation for the development of innovative technologies and services, which will undoubtedly drive Edo’s economic growth and development.
According to the report, “Thus far, 78,676km of fibre optic cables have been deployed as of 2023. Lagos leads with 7,864.60km; Edo, 4,892.71km; FCT, 4,472.03km; Ogun, 4,189.18km; Niger, 3,681.66km; Kaduna, 3,028.88km and Delta, 2,750.42km. Kano and Kogi follow with 2,697.72km and 2,602.25km in that order.
“The least 10 States in fibre deployment are Yobe (1,233.31km), Borno (1,190.04km), Gombe (1182.40km) and Ekiti (1,178.04km). Others are Jigawa (1100.53km), Taraba (1,076.58km), Sokoto (1,066.56km), Plateau (997.45km), Ebonyi, 651.65km and Bayelsa (407.88km).”
The whitepaper noted that individuals and communities face a growing barrier to navigating the interconnected landscape of modern life without reliable and affordable Internet access.
