Telecoms Policy Overhaul Boosts Private Investment By $1bn — Minister

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said that policy adjustments,  including tariff reviews in the telecommunication sector, have helped restore profitability and encouraged private investment exceeding $1 billion in Nigeria.

The minister disclosed this in an interview with journalists at the Flagship Nigeria event in Abuja on Wednesday, even as he declared that no country in Africa is currently investing in digital infrastructure as the Nigerian government, describing it as critical to the country’s economic transformation agenda.

He also said about 20 million Nigerians lacking internet and digital services access will begin to see significant improvements from 2027 as ongoing infrastructure projects become operational.

Tijani disclosed that Nigeria is the only African country investing in a 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic network, a project supported by the World Bank. He added that the government is also investing in two new communication satellites and the deployment of 3,700 additional telecom towers in rural areas, a move expected to connect the 20 million Nigerians who currently lack access to basic connectivity.

Bosun explained that the government has differentiated between advanced technical skills and basic digital literacy, pointing to the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program launched in 2023, which has already trained over 150,000 young Nigerians.

He noted, however, that infrastructure alone is insufficient without digital skills and literacy, adding that plans are underway to launch nationwide digital literacy programs using mobile technology and local languages.

He pointed out that Nigeria has developed the first government-backed large language model in Africa to strengthen artificial intelligence and enable communication in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and accented English, which will serve as the foundation for delivering digital literacy training to Nigerians of all ages.

According to him, fibre deployment is expected to commence between the second and third quarters of this year, and the new satellites should become operational by next year.

Also speaking at the event, the chief executive officer of the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDA), Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, noted that the aim is to connect 1 billion people to the internet by 2030.

He commended Nigeria for its clear strategy and massive investments in connectivity, devices, and digital skills, stressing that electricity remains a critical missing link in achieving true digital inclusion.

According to him, the PDA’s Mission 300 initiative focuses on expanding electricity access to remote areas to enable communities, schools, health centres, and markets to fully benefit from digital services.

“This is about making connectivity relevant to the people who need it the most, not just those in major cities,” even as he called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to close the digital divide quickly and effectively.

World Bank country director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, in his remarks, said Nigeria has some of the world’s most significant deficits in electricity access and backbone infrastructure, but also enormous growth potential driven by its demographics.

Verghis emphasised that digital inclusion cannot be achieved without reliable power, broadband connectivity, and affordable devices working together. He urged coordinated planning, construction, and financing of power and fibre infrastructure to reduce costs and accelerate universal access.

“There is no digital inclusion without power, and no inclusive growth from electrification without connectivity,” he said even as he pledged the World Bank to the federal and state governments, as well as private sector partners in Nigeria, to boost access to broadband connectivity for millions of Nigerians.