Galaxy Backbone Limited has expanded its fibre-optic infrastructure to nearly 30 states as the Federal Government-owned technology firm seeks to deepen digital connectivity and position itself at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a media briefing to kick off activities marking the organisation’s 20th anniversary.
Highlighting the company’s achievements over the past two decades, Adeyanju said, “Our fibre infrastructure today spans almost 30 states of the federation, connecting government institutions and creating the foundation for digital government. Behind every digital service lies connectivity, and connectivity remains one of the most powerful enablers of transformation.”
Galaxy Backbone was established by the Federal Government in 2006 to provide shared information and communications technology infrastructure for ministries, departments and agencies, with the objective of reducing duplication, lowering costs and improving public service delivery.
According to Adeyanju, the organisation has evolved from being a connectivity provider into one of Nigeria’s most strategic digital infrastructure institutions, supporting government operations through fibre networks, cloud infrastructure, data centres, cybersecurity systems and digital collaboration platforms.
He noted that the company’s investments now support federal and state government institutions, educational establishments, development partners and an increasing number of private sector organisations.
The GBB boss said the institution currently operates uptime-certified Tier III and Tier IV data centres designed to provide secure and resilient hosting environments for critical government systems and applications.
“We have invested in world-class data centre infrastructure, including uptime-certified Tier III and Tier IV facilities that provide secure, resilient and reliable environments for hosting mission-critical systems and applications,” he said.
According to him, the facilities are helping to strengthen data sovereignty, improve business continuity and protect critical digital assets within Nigeria.
Adeyanju also highlighted the role of the organisation’s cloud infrastructure, particularly the 1Government Cloud platform, which allows public institutions to access digital services without having to build and maintain separate technology infrastructure.
“Through our cloud infrastructure and the 1Government Cloud platform, government institutions can access scalable digital services without the burden of building costly infrastructure independently. This shared-services model improves efficiency, reduces costs and accelerates innovation,” he stated.
He added that Galaxy Backbone currently provides services such as GovMail, the official government email platform, alongside hosting services, collaboration tools, connectivity solutions and shared digital applications used daily by thousands of public servants and hundreds of government institutions.
The chief executive stressed that the organisation’s relevance should not be measured solely by physical infrastructure but by its contribution to governance and service delivery.
“The true value of Galaxy Backbone is not measured by kilometres of fibre. It is not measured by servers. It is not measured by data centres. It is not measured by technology alone. The true value of Galaxy Backbone is measured by impact,” he said.
He listed the benefits of the infrastructure as faster government services, stronger inter-agency collaboration, enhanced transparency and accountability, improved cybersecurity, better access to information and reduced duplication of public investments.
Looking ahead, Adeyanju said the next phase of the organisation’s growth would focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, automation, data analytics, cybersecurity and smart infrastructure.
“We are entering a new era defined by Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, automation, cybersecurity, smart infrastructure and emerging technologies that are reshaping economies around the world,” he said.
He added that Nigeria had already laid the foundations needed to compete in the digital economy and should focus on scaling and maximising existing infrastructure rather than starting from scratch.
“The next chapter of Galaxy Backbone will therefore not simply be about building infrastructure; it will be about maximising infrastructure. It will be about enabling innovation through smart digital solutions, expanding digital access, supporting sub-nationals, businesses and institutions. It will be about creating opportunities for every Nigerian to participate in the digital economy,” Adeyanju stated.
As part of activities commemorating its 20th anniversary, Galaxy Backbone announced plans to host its inaugural Digital Transformation Summit under the theme, “Powering Nigeria’s Digital Future.”
According to Adeyanju, the summit will bring together stakeholders from government, academia, industry, technology firms, development organisations and the broader innovation ecosystem to discuss how technology can accelerate governance, economic growth and national development.
The company also revealed plans to unveil a refreshed corporate identity later in the anniversary week, reflecting its transition from a government ICT infrastructure provider to what it described as a national digital transformation enabler connecting governments, businesses and institutions through secure digital solutions.
Adeyanju said Galaxy Backbone’s ambition is to become one of the leading digital transformation institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, adding that the company’s renewed vision is to drive innovative digital transformation and inclusive economic prosperity while delivering secure and scalable digital services to governments and businesses.
The PUNCH earlier reported that the Federal Government unveiled plans to deploy artificial intelligence and expand fibre connectivity to police stations nationwide, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund in Abuja.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the initiative would focus on connecting police facilities to the national fibre backbone while introducing data-driven tools to improve policing outcomes.
Tijani said the project would begin with the mapping of police stations across the country to determine their proximity to fibre infrastructure and identify connectivity gaps.
The minister noted that the Federal Government had already committed to laying about 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable nationwide, with points of presence expected in over 7,000 wards, adding that aligning the rollout with police infrastructure would strengthen security operations.