By JKNewsMedia
DIGITAL LIFELINE has been taken to a remote Nigerian community as connectivity project gets launched.
A major push to close Nigeria’s digital divide began with the rollout of a connectivity pilot project in Isuanin Kura, Ibwa 2 community, Gwagwalada, near Abuja.
More than 12,000 residents are now linked to vital voice and data services through an initiative led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in partnership with Globacom and Huawei Nigerian Enterprises.
The launch marks the first step in a broader national effort aimed at reaching over 7,000 unconnected communities across the country.
The project integrates solar-powered infrastructure to deliver not only mobile access but also digital healthcare and smart learning facilities—technologies that had previously been out of reach for many rural Nigerians.
Commissioning the site, Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, stressed the urgency of bridging the technological gap that isolates over 20 million Nigerians.
He warned that without internet and mobile access, citizens are denied essential services such as banking, education, and medical care, leaving them further behind in a rapidly digitising world.
“Where you live should not determine your access to opportunity,” Dr Tijani declared, noting the administration’s commitment to expanding infrastructure that allows all Nigerians to thrive in the digital economy, irrespective of location.
Globacom’s Group Chief Technical Director, Mr Sanjib Roy, explained that the telecom firm collaborated with Huawei and the Ministry to establish microwave backhaul connections and link the site to Globacom’s national network.
The company will also manage site operations to ensure continuous service delivery.
Mr. Roy detailed how the Smart Education module now enables students in Ibwa to attend live classes taught from locations such as Abuja or Lagos, while healthcare access has dramatically improved through internet-linked diagnostic tools that connect rural patients to urban medical experts in real time.
The entire setup operates on solar power to ensure sustainability and uninterrupted performance.
The project’s impact was demonstrated during the unveiling ceremony.
Local chief Abubakar Bamaiyi conducted a live consultation with a doctor in Abuja using the new system, and schoolchildren followed a real-time lesson delivered remotely from Lagos via Huawei-supported equipment.
Speaking at the event, Mr Kazeem Kaka, Globacom’s Head of Division, North-West, reaffirmed the company’s two-decade mission to break communication barriers.
“Since 2003, we have remained at the forefront of efforts to lower the barriers to connectivity—making telephony, internet, and data services more accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
Today’s launch reinforces that commitment,” he said.
Huawei Nigerian Enterprises Managing Director, Mr Terrens Wu, echoed similar sentiments, adding that the firm had donated 120 smartphones to support mobile access for residents in the newly connected area.
Wu emphasised Huawei’s continued focus on deploying digital tools that empower rural communities across Nigeria.
The Ibwa 2 launch is expected to serve as a blueprint for future deployments across the country as the federal government moves to connect every citizen to the digital world.
