The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially initiated high-level consultations with key industry stakeholders to design a structured pricing framework for sharing fibre optic ducts across the country.
The regulatory move, announced via digital media channels on July 8, 2026, is aimed at establishing a fair, transparent, and cost-based pricing system under the umbrella of Nigeria’s national Dig-Once Policy.
What is the “Dig-Once” Policy?
The Dig-Once Policy is a strategic infrastructure framework designed to harmonize telecom engineering and public works. Its primary goal is to ensure that whenever roads, highways, or public pathways are excavated for construction, expansion, or utility installation, standardized underground ducts or conduits are laid down simultaneously.
By creating a unified repository for these conduits, the policy achieves several key objectives:
- Lowering Capital Expenditures (CAPEX): Eliminating the need for individual telecom companies to execute independent, repetitive, and expensive excavation projects.
- Minimizing Public Disruption: Drastically reducing the constant tearing up of newly paved public roads and urban highways.
- Accelerating Broadband Penetration: Allowing internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile network operators to seamlessly pull their fibre optic cables through pre-installed ducts, fast-tracking high-speed internet delivery to underserved communities.
Why a Cost-Based Pricing Framework Matters
While the physical infrastructure reduces civil engineering overheads, the commercial terms of sharing these assets have historically triggered industry friction. Independent operators often face arbitrary pricing models when attempting to lease duct space from third parties or legacy infrastructure provider networks.
By intervening to establish a fair, transparent, and cost-based pricing framework, the NCC aims to calculate lease rates based on the actual baseline economic costs of installation and maintenance. This regulatory guardrail prevents monopolistic gatekeeping and price gouging, creating a level playing field for both tier-1 telecom giants and smaller, localized ISPs looking to expand their broadband footprints.
The stakeholder consultations are expected to gather inputs from telecom operators, infrastructure companies (InfraCos), civil engineering firms, and state-level ministries of works to build a sustainable commercial template that accelerates Nigeria’s digital economy.
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