In a brightly lit room in Abuja, where ideas about Nigeria’s digital future echoed through the air, Jane Egerton-Idehen stood with quiet confidence.
The Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) was not there to deliver a routine speech.
She came with a bold vision, one that could redefine the nation’s satellite communications landscape.
At the July edition of the DevsInGovernment MDA workshop series, Egerton-Idehen unveiled a staggering projection: NigComSat is targeting an average of $3 billion in annual revenue as it expands beyond traditional boundaries.
The event, themed “Driving Operational Excellence through Technology at NigComSat”, was more than a gathering of civil servants and tech enthusiasts.
Supported by Galaxy Backbone and the World Bank, it marked a turning point, a moment when NigComSat declared it was no longer content with playing in the background of Nigeria’s digital evolution.
“For us to grow, we must think differently,” Egerton-Idehen said, her voice steady with intent. “If we can stretch the life of our products and tap into emerging needs, we’re not just talking about $3 billion, we could do even more.”
This ambition is more than a pipe dream. NigComSat is actively diversifying. Broadcasting may have been its traditional stronghold, but new revenue streams, from enterprise connectivity to satellite-powered solutions for unserved rural areas, are already coming online.
Abiodun Attah, executive director of Technical Services, reinforced this shift in strategy. “We’re no longer limiting ourselves to government contracts. We’ve begun working directly with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to deliver 2G, 3G, and 4G traffic to remote communities,” he said. “That used to be out of reach, but not anymore.”
Attah’s words reflected a broader cultural shift within NigComSat: a transformation from a reserved, inward-facing agency into a commercial player with an eye on national impact and global relevance.
At its core, the DevsInGovernment initiative, a movement aimed at galvanising technologists within public service, served as the perfect backdrop for this announcement.
For a country chasing digital transformation, the signal was clear: NigComSat is not only orbiting the skies, it’s aiming for the stars.
And if Egerton-Idehen’s vision holds true, the $3 billion target might just be the beginning.
