Industry operators said beyond cost pressures, Nigeria's fibre rollout is also being constrained by weak coordination and inadequate infrastructure planning.

Chief Technology Officer at FiberOne, Adetola Akinmade, called for telecom infrastructure to be formally treated as a national asset and proposed the establishment of a "Digital Utility Corridor" to standardise fibre deployment alongside other public utilities.

He said uncoordinated pole mounting and inconsistent deployment standards continued to undermine efficiency, though regulatory monitoring efforts were ongoing.

ATCON President Tony Emoekpere said Nigeria's fibre challenge extended beyond deployment volumes to the long‑term survivability of infrastructure.

"Every fibre project has two lives - public and private," Emoekpere said. "The second life is where the real challenge begins."

He said fibre networks must be able to withstand vandalism, regulatory bottlenecks, power instability, and affordability constraints if they are to deliver sustainable value.

Panel discussions at the forum highlighted persistent concerns over fragmented infrastructure planning and weak shared‑access models. Stakeholders stressed the need for standardised duct systems with multiple access points to improve efficiency and reduce duplication.

Representatives from Oyo, Edo, and Kogi states pledged support for fibre rollout initiatives, including improved regulation and public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing vandalism and infrastructure damage.

Chief Executive of Open Access Data Centres, Dr Ayotunde Coker, said infrastructure sharing could significantly reduce deployment costs and improve long‑term sustainability.

A pilot infrastructure audit conducted by ATCON's Fibre Cleanup Committee in collaboration with regulators in Lagos found widespread deficiencies, including abandoned cables, poor labelling, damaged hardware, and unauthorised attachments to existing infrastructure.

The assessment also flagged safety risks to motorists and pedestrians and highlighted maintenance challenges caused by poor coordination among operators.

Industry executives said Nigeria's broadband ambitions would depend not only on expanding fibre networks but also on whether the ecosystem can sustain, protect, and economically support them over time.