MainOne, Facebook Provide Open-access Fibre Network in Nigeria

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A Nigerian internet service provider, MainOne, has partnered with Facebook to announce a metro fibre infrastructure project in two states of Nigeria.

The infrastructure collaboration is part of Facebook’s efforts to connect more people to broadband internet.

As part of this project, MainOne is building and operating approximately 750 km terrestrial fibre infrastructure in Edo and Ogun States, two of Nigeria’s fastest growing states.

These open-access transport networks will provide metro fibre connectivity to reach more than 1,000,000 people in Benin City, Abeokuta, Sagamu and 10 other towns by connecting mobile operators’ base stations, Internet Service Providers, Points of Presence (POPs), and public locations including schools and hospitals.

This partnership will leverage MainOne’s strength as a wholesale Telecoms Infrastructure service provider with investment from Facebook and support from local regulatory and state authorities to further deepen broadband penetration in Nigeria.

Speaking on the partnership, Ibrahima Ba, Network Investments Lead for Emerging Markets at Facebook, said: “We are working closely with MainOne and other partners to accelerate broadband deployment.

“In Nigeria, we are bringing together Facebook’s learnings from scaling our global infrastructure with MainOne’s knowledge of the local environment to develop and test new working models for multiple operators to access common infrastructure.”

Executive officer of MainOne, Ms Funke Opeke, lauded the collaboration and the commitment of Facebook and authorities in Nigeria to improving broadband penetration across the country.

She noted that, “MainOne has always been committed to broadband innovation, job creation, as well as growing the digital economy of West Africa.”

According to her, “We believe that this partnership and the open-access network we have developed will be beneficial to improving the quality of access and accelerating the digital transformation in Ogun and Edo States.”