Nigeria Connects 12,000 Residents in Kura Community with New Pilot Telecom Tower
Kura, Abuja, May 30, 2025 – The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a pilot telecommunications tower in Kura, a rural community near Abuja with a population of approximately 12,000 people, as part of a nationwide initiative to bridge the country’s digital divide. Until recently, Kura had no access to mobile network services, leaving residents disconnected from vital communication, education, and healthcare resources.
Details of the Initiative
The project was announced by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, during a joint media appearance. The newly installed telecom tower now provides voice calls and internet connectivity to the community’s health center, school, and households, enabling access to digital tools and services for the first time.
Dr. Tijani emphasized that this pilot tower is the first of 7,000 new towers planned across underserved communities nationwide, targeting over 20 million Nigerians currently without telecommunication access.
“This initiative marks a critical move toward nationwide digital inclusion,” he said.
Digital Village and Broader Impact
In addition to the tower, the government unveiled a Digital Village in Ibwa 2, Kura, developed in partnership with Huawei Nigeria and Globacom. The Digital Village includes free public Wi-Fi, internet-connected schools equipped with Huawei’s IdeaHub boards, and digital health centers offering telemedicine services powered by solar energy.
The initiative aims to transform remote rural communities into digitally enabled environments, improving education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Local schools have been renovated and equipped with learning devices, while healthcare centers now have telemedicine capabilities to address shortages of medical personnel.
Government’s Vision and Future Plans
The government’s $2 billion plan to deploy 7,000 telecom towers, with 80% allocated to northern Nigeria, is part of a broader strategy to close Nigeria’s connectivity gap. A national broadband committee identified the need for 125,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable to ensure universal broadband access, far beyond the current 35,000-40,000 kilometers installed.
Dr. Tijani highlighted complementary projects, including a 90,000-kilometer fiber optic expansion supported by the World Bank, set to begin before the end of 2025.
He also spotlighted the administration’s flagship digital empowerment program, the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, which has trained nearly 130,000 young Nigerians in technical and digital skills to create one million tech jobs.
Community and Partner Reactions
Alhaji Abubakar Shuaibu, the traditional ruler of Ibwa 2 Kura, expressed gratitude, saying,
“Our village looks like London today. We have network, gadgets, and even a renovated school and hospital. Though we still need more staff and teachers, this is a giant leap forward.”
Huawei Nigeria and Globacom executives emphasized that the project goes beyond technology deployment, focusing on improving lives by providing connectivity, education, and healthcare access.
