The inaugural Rural Connectivity Summit has been commended as an important step toward bridging Nigeria’s digital divide, two decades after the GSM revolution transformed the country’s communication sector.
Held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, on Wednesday, October 22, the event convened leading voices from government, telecommunications, power, and technology sectors to discuss solutions for expanding digital access to unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria.
The Summit, themed “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide: Accelerating Rural Connectivity Through Collaboration,” was organised by Business Metrics in partnership with stakeholders across the industry.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), noted that the real measure of connectivity lies in its economic impact rather than technical metrics.
“The accurate measure of connectivity is not in megabits per second, but in economic value it creates or loses,” Maida said.
He noted that despite progress since 2001, millions of Nigerians are still digitally invisible, unable to access reliable broadband, mobile, or data services that now define inclusion in the modern economy.
In his address, Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), drew attention to the underlying infrastructure gaps that hinder connectivity.
“80 million Nigerians do not have access to reliable electricity,” he stated, warning that without addressing energy poverty, telecom expansion will continue to face obstacles.
Adebayo further stressed that connectivity must be pursued as a people-centred mission.
“48 million Nigerians do not have access to toilets,” he said. “When we talk about inclusion, it’s not just digital; it’s about dignity.”
The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere, called for urgent transition from dialogue to execution.
“We need to move away from talk shops into actions,” he stated. “This Summit should not end with resolutions; it must produce measurable results.”
Speakers from across the ecosystem, including the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), highlighted ongoing collaborations with NCC to power rural telecom sites using renewable energy mini-grids.
This partnership aims to reduce costs and improve sustainability by pairing electricity access with digital connectivity.
Dr Tola Yusuf, chief executive officer of Infratel Africa, linked infrastructure to development outcomes.
“The backbone of rural prosperity is digital connectivity, but the backbone of connectivity is the right incentive structure,” he said, calling for fiscal incentives, public-private partnerships, and community-led models.
Dr Olusola Teniola, former ATCON President and executive director at ipNX, reiterated the urgency of implementation.
“It does remain a talk shop, and I’m tired of talk shops nowadays. We need action,” he said.
The Summit’s panel sessions explored multiple dimensions of the challenge and produced several key insights:
The first panel, focused on Mainstreaming Edge Infrastructure for Accelerated Inclusion.
Moderated by Chidi Ajuzie, group COO, Western Telecoms & Engineering (WTES) Limited, panellists included Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO, Open Access Data Centre (OADC); Wole Abu, MD, Equinix West Africa (MainOne); Dr. Krish Ranganath, regional executive (West Africa), Africa Data Centres and Goke Juba, associate director, Fibre Operations, IHS Nigeria.
Key insights included:
- Expansion of edge data infrastructure beyond Lagos and Abuja is essential to reduce latency and improve local content delivery.
- Power, security, and connectivity must be addressed together to ensure site viability.
- Collaboration between operators and data-centre providers will drive faster deployment in rural areas.
The second session, focused on Infrastructure Sharing & Collaboration as Key Pillars of Bridging Digital Divide, was moderated by Louisa Olaniyi, the compere.
The panellists included Tony Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Dr Tola Yusuf, co-founder, Infratel Africa; Segun Okuneye, Divisional CEO, ipNX Nigeria Limited; Onemeguke Azubuike Lucky, senior analyst, Natcom Development and Investment Limited (ntel); Olumide Idowu, group chief technology & information officer, Alphabeta LLC; John Nwachukwu, chief strategy & executive officer, Zoracom; and Dr Isa Usman, associate director, Network Operations, GICL.
Key insights included:
- Shared infrastructure remains the most cost-effective path to rural expansion.
- Spectrum access, harmonised right-of-way policies, and targeted subsidies are needed to attract investors.
- Result-based financing and community-owned networks can complement traditional operator models.
Omobayo Azeez, convener and lead of the Rural Connectivity Initiative, emphasised the need for continued movement.
“Let this gathering be remembered as the moment we all come together to move from talk to action, from plans to progress, and from intent to real impact,” he said.
The Rural Connectivity Summit will become an annual platform for dialogue, accountability, and innovation, bringing together regulators, operators, development agencies, and community leaders to drive universal connectivity and digital inclusion across Nigeria.