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September 29, 2026

NCC seeks greater digital infrastructure investment at Nigeria connectivity forum

By Upfrontdigital News 0 3 Views

NCC building, Abuja

By Favour Unukaso

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for increased public and private sector investment in telecommunications infrastructure to accelerate broadband expansion, improve service quality, and support Nigeria’s growing digital economy.

   The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call at the opening of the maiden Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum organised by the Commission in collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla in Abuja.

    Speaking during the opening ceremony, the NCC Chief Executive said the forum was designed to provide a strategic platform for fostering dialogue between regulators, investors, infrastructure providers, and development partners to examine the investment requirements needed to expand connectivity, identify barriers to infrastructure deployment, and explore partnerships capable of accelerating digital transformation and economic development with the overarching objective of mobilising investments that will improve connectivity, stimulate economic growth, and enhance the quality of life of Nigerians.

    Maida said that Nigeria’s telecommunications success story over the last 25 years demonstrates the transformative impact of sound policy, transparent regulation and investor confidence while noting that the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and the introduction of transparent licensing processes encouraged private sector participation, leading to unprecedented growth in connectivity and communications services across the country.

  “The experience of the last two and a half decades underscores the importance of creating an enabling environment for investment. As a regulator, the Commission remains committed to facilitating investment while ensuring consumer protection and promoting fair competition,” he said.

    The EVC/CEO observed that the demand for reliable digital connectivity continues to rise as individuals, businesses, educational institutions and public services increasingly depend on broadband-enabled technologies to function effectively, adding that the growing adoption of cloud-based services, digital platforms and Artificial Intelligence applications will further increase the need for robust and resilient telecommunications infrastructure.

   Highlighting the scale of this demand, Dr. Maida disclosed that data consumption in Nigeria increased from approximately 1.13 million terabytes in July 2025 to about 1.66 million terabytes in July 2026, representing a growth of nearly 47 per cent within one year. He noted that sustaining this level of growth would require significant investments in network expansion, modernisation and quality-of-service improvements.

   “The investment challenge before us is not merely one of expanding coverage. It is also about ensuring that those already connected enjoy better service quality, improved user experiences, and infrastructure capable of supporting future technologies,” he said

   Among the measures already implemented, he cited the telecommunications tariff adjustment approved in 2025 to support operators’ capacity for network investment and service improvement, ongoing engagements with state governments on Right of Way issues, and the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These initiatives, he said, are aimed at reducing barriers to network deployment and enhancing investor confidence in the sector.      Maida further stressed the Commission’s determination to strengthen evidence-based regulation as a means of improving transparency, enhancing regulatory certainty and providing clearer insights into investment opportunities within the telecommunications sector and called on local and international investors, development finance institutions, infrastructure providers and industry stakeholders to take advantage of emerging opportunities within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and partner with the Commission in expanding digital connectivity across the country.

   “The investment we advance today must ultimately translate into better opportunities for Nigerians, improved access to services, and a stronger digital economy that supports sustainable national development,” he said.

   He commended Swedfund and Ookla for their strategic partnership and contributions toward the successful organisation of the forum, noting that both organisations have played critical roles in supporting the Commission’s efforts to deepen data-driven decision-making and improve understanding of connectivity realities across Nigeria.

   According to him, the collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla provides independent insights into the actual connectivity experience of consumers and supports the Commission’s efforts to identify service gaps, monitor network performance and assess areas requiring additional investment.

   He explained that data generated through the partnership is being integrated with other markets and network information to provide a more comprehensive understanding of infrastructure needs and investment opportunities across the country.

   The NCC Chief Executive also highlighted the role of the Commission’s Consumer Data Lab, funded by the Gates Foundation and developed in collaboration with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). He disclosed that the platform integrates Ookla’s network performance data, consumer complaints and operators’ intervention reports into a single dashboard that enables deeper analysis of connectivity issues by location and demographic characteristics.

   “This helps us investigate service problems and assess whether operators’ interventions have improved consumers’ experience. It also gives us a more useful picture of where further deployment or network upgrades may be needed. We want investors to benefit from that understanding, and from regulatory decisions that are clear, proportionate and supported by evidence,” he said.

 

   While delivering her keynote address which focused on “Connectivity and Competitiveness: Digital Infrastructure as a driver of Investment Climate and Trade, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole commended the NCC and its partners for convening the investment forum and stressed that the conversation is about infrastructure required to produce, connect, invest and trade in a modern economy.

   The minister said the forum was timely as quality of a country’s digital infrastructure increasingly determines the quality of investment climate, the competitiveness, and ability to participate meaningfully in international trade. This is because the future of trade is now digital stressing that the nature of trade has changed as today “private networks, data centres, digital platforms, and secure data systems are critical for transactions”.

   In her remarks, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, acknowledged significant gaps in connectivity coverage, quality, affordability and supporting infrastructure, and stressed that government, industry and investors would need to work together to address them, stressing that data on network performance and user experience could help identify areas requiring investment, reduce uncertainty and strengthen investor confidence while identifying energy, cybersecurity and digital skills as important components of a sustainable connectivity ecosystem.

   According to the Ambassador, “Sweden is interested in deepening commercial and investment relations with Nigeria, particularly in digitalisation and connectivity. Swedish institutions and companies could contribute technology, commercial expertise, development finance, export financing and project development to support Nigerian infrastructure priorities”

   Commenting earlier on the forum Tristan Muhader, VP of Sales, Middle East & Africa, Ookla said “Connectivity is no longer simply the channel through which we make calls or browse the internet. It is becoming the operating layer for economic and public activity across sectors, from essential services to AI. That makes its performance and resilience a national priority’.

   She further stated that “through our collaboration with the NCC, Ookla contributes independent, crowdsourced intelligence that reveals the experience people receive and helps identify where infrastructure investment can have the greatest impact, adding that “This intelligence can also help authorities understand the impact of disruptions and verify recovery. The forum is an opportunity to turn shared evidence into smarter investment, stronger national digital resilience and a more competitive digital economy for Nigeria.”

   Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the Director of the National Frequency Management Council, Adetunji Adeyemo, said reliable, affordable, resilient and accessible digital infrastructure was essential to Nigeria’s economic transformation.

He said the Nigerian Government had identified infrastructure, policy and innovation, entrepreneurship and capital as key strategic priorities.

   The two-day forum brings together policymakers, investors, development finance institutions, telecommunications operators, infrastructure providers, technology companies, and development partners to explore opportunities for investment in digital connectivity across Nigeria.

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