For years, residents of Bende Local Government Area in Abia State had to walk a kilometer or two just to catch a mobile signal to make a basic phone call. That long-standing connectivity gap came to an end on Friday, October 16, 2026, when the Federal Government officially launched the National Unserved and Underserved Connectivity Advisory Project (NUCAP) along the Umuahia–Ohafia Road in Bende.
The commissioning of the digital telecommunications tower marks the first site in a national initiative by the Federal Government to build 3,700 telecommunications towers across Nigeria, aiming to extend voice and internet access to nearly 20 million unserved and underserved citizens.
Attracting the inaugural site to Bende Federal Constituency was driven by sustained advocacy from Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasized that location should never dictate access to economic and social opportunity.
”When you look at this tower, you may see a mast. I want you to think of a tree,” Dr. Bosun Tijani said during his address. “When we plant a tree, it grows. It gives shade. It bears fruit. Even children who were not born when we planted it can grow up to enjoy it. That is how I want us to see this tower.”
The Minister added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave a mandate to bring every Nigerian online:
”Through NUCAP, we are delivering 3,700 telecommunications towers across Nigeria. Today, we are commissioning the first of these sites here in Bende. A trader here should not lose a sale because a customer cannot find a network to make a transfer, and a family whose child is ill at night should not have to struggle to make a call for help.”
Expressing appreciation to the Federal Government, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu underscored that digital access serves as a tool for governance, education, and security.
”Where a person lives should not determine the limits of what that person can become,” Kalu stated. “Our young people should be able to apply for scholarships, acquire digital skills, and explore opportunities without travelling elsewhere simply to find a signal. The talent is already here in Bende. We must provide the connections through which that talent can grow.”
Kalu urged community leaders, traditional rulers, and residents to safeguard the infrastructure, noting that reliable telecommunications will support emergency personnel, financial inclusion, and educational advancement throughout the constituency and across the country.
