Analytical Evaluation of Visible Light Communication for Indoor Broadband in Nigerian Office Environments

Visible light communication technology leverages LED lighting infrastructure to deliver high-speed wireless optical data transmission, offering a spectrum-unconstrained indoor broadband alternative that alleviates radio frequency congestion in dense office environments. This study analytically evaluates the performance potential of VLC for indoor broadband delivery in Nigerian office environments, addressing the specific challenges of tropical daylight interference, high internal partition density, and variable occupancy patterns characteristic of office buildings in Lagos and Abuja. An analytical channel model for indoor optical wireless channels was developed and parameterized using interior luminance measurements, room geometry data, and surface reflectance characterizations collected at six representative office buildings. The Lambertian radiation model was used for LED source characterization, and optical path loss expressions were derived for both direct line-of-sight and reflective propagation paths. Achievable data rates were computed using the analytical channel model under Nigerian ambient light interference conditions measured across seasons. Results indicate that achievable throughputs exceeding 100 Mbps per LED luminaire are analytically feasible in large open-plan offices at Lagos latitude under both dry and wet season ambient light conditions. Partition-dense cellular offices limit coverage to within 3.2 meters per luminaire due to line-of-sight constraints, requiring luminaire density planning aligned with office layout. The study fills a gap in the VLC literature by providing analytically derived performance bounds and deployment guidelines for West African tropical office environments. Keywords: visible light communication, indoor broadband, office environment, LED, Nigeria.