ALTON says that multiple levies, bottlenecks in right-of-way approvals, and other unfriendly state policies are slowing expansion and could widen connectivity gaps between regions.

Speaking over the weekend, ALTON Chairman, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo, said the telecom industry is finally seeing strong investment flows after years of stagnation, but not every state may benefit.

“States that create hostile conditions for telecom operations risk being left behind. Where deployment is unwelcome, investments will move to more supportive neighbouring states, and citizens of unfriendly states will inevitably suffer limited connectivity,” Adebayo said.

He stressed that operators are already under enormous pressure, paying as many as 56 different taxes and charges. According to him, relief is expected from January 2026 when the Federal Government’s tax reform bills come into effect, cutting overlapping levies across federal, state, and local tiers. “We will not continue to solicit endlessly for cooperation,” Adebayo warned.

Fresh data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows over $1 billion in telecom infrastructure investments poured into the country this year alone. 

That confidence was restored after the regulator allowed mobile network operators to adjust tariffs by up to 50%, reversing almost a decade of frozen pricing.

This policy change has triggered aggressive expansion as operators are rolling out new base stations, extending fibre networks, upgrading existing sites, and introducing enhanced site security to counter vandalism. 

Adebayo described the current pace of deployment as the most ambitious since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reforms go beyond tariffs and taxation. The inauguration of the new NCC Board, chaired by Idris Olorunimbe, has been described as a stabilising factor for the industry. 

The rebranding of 9Mobile to T2 is also seen by stakeholders as a signal of renewed investor interest and strategic repositioning.

Industry players argue that these developments place Nigeria in a better position to close broadband gaps and expand access to digital services. But without cooperation at state level, experts warn, the benefits will remain unevenly distributed.

Behind the numbers, operators continue to burn through more than 40 million litres of diesel monthly, most of it imported, to keep networks running. This reality adds to operational costs and stresses why hostile state policies only worsen the financial strain.

The NCC is already working with the Office of the National Security Adviser to create region-specific rapid response systems to protect telecom infrastructure, but Adebayo urged the public to take responsibility as well. Cases of vandalism and stolen equipment, he warned, further undermine investments and slow deployment.

For ordinary Nigerians, unfriendly state policies could mean slower broadband rollout, fewer digital jobs, and reduced access to critical online services. On the other hand, states that actively support operators stand to benefit from expanded infrastructure, stronger investor confidence, and broader digital inclusion.

“The transformation we are witnessing in our sector has not been experienced in recent years… but for this to be sustainable, all stakeholders, especially state governments, must play their part. Telecoms is not just about calls and data, it is a driver of national economic stability and growth,” Adebayo concluded.

The commendation followed the listing of about 20 policies by Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, aimed at promoting different areas of the digital economy, including the flagship National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020 – 2030, and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025 – all of which have started to yield concrete, positive results for the economy.

Pantami said the recent assessments by the Foreign Development and Commonwealth Office (FDCO) and the KPMG Consulting, which adjudged the communications and digital economy sector as the best-performing sector in Nigeria, were based on eight key priority areas, one of which was in revenue generation, where the sector has raised government revenue profile by 594 per cent.

Among those who applauded the Federal Government’s vision for the sector are the Secretary to Oyo State Government, Her Honour Olubamiwo Adeosun, who represented Mr. Oluseyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State; and Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/NCC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Emphasising the centrality of digital innovation and digital entrepreneurship to a robust digital economy, the Minister commended the participants for the quality of evaluation, recommendations, and criticisms that attended the memoranda presented at the Council.

He urged the media to give the best coverage to the communique to be issued after the meeting and enjoined professionals in the media systems of communication to note specific recommendations and the corresponding role of each stakeholder in the implementation of each item in the communique.

The Minister announced that 110 memoranda and recommendations were presented to the Council, out of which 67 were approved for Council implementation. The remaining 43 recommendations are to be reconsidered in the next meeting of the Council.

Pantami thanked the Government of Oyo State and the Olubadan of Ibadan, His Imperial Majesty, Dr. Lekan Ishola Balogun, Alliwo Okumade II, for receiving him and his team on courtesy visit he paid earlier to the Palace, and to the Governor’s Office where Adeosun had earlier received the Minister on behalf of the Governor.

In his goodwill message, the EVC of NCC, Danbatta praised the Minister for his impeccable supervisory role as the leader of the sector.

Danbatta also praised the Federal Government for being the most revolutionary administration in terms of commitment to the utilisation of digital resources for the growth of individuals, businesses and the national economy through design of policies to achieve concrete, measurable and remarkable deployment of cutting-edge technological applications.

On behalf of the Board and Management of NCC, Danbatta thanked participants for their attendance and active participation, which, he said, attested to the importance they all attached to the promotion of digital economy and culture.

Amplifying the voice of the Minister, the EVC stated that the participants’ commitment to the government’s digital economy agenda has been well demonstrated in the methodical review of the recommendations of the 9th Council meeting, objective identification of achievements, and the frank approach taken to chart the path towards future goals and expectations.

The EVC promised that the “NCC remains committed to supporting all policies, strategies, plans and initiatives that promote the provision of modern, universal, efficient, reliable, affordable, and easily accessible communications services and give the widest range throughout Nigeria.”

He also emphasised that it is in demonstration of its commitment that the Commission undertook a timely release of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band for the deployment of 5G services to ensure that Nigerian citizens, businesses, public institutions and other stakeholders are enabled with requisite infrastructure to engage in the emergent digital economy and culture.