Telecommunications has once again proven itself to be one of Nigeria’s most resilient and strategic sectors. Even in the face of economic headwinds, it continued to underpin financial services, commerce, education, healthcare, security, and government operations.

As we look ahead, the central question is no longer whether the sector can withstand pressure, but how quickly it can scale to meet Nigeria’s growing digital ambitions.

2025: A Year of Stabilisation, Industry Resilience, and Continued Investment

The operating environment in 2025 was far from easy. Telecom operators, tower companies, fibre infrastructure providers, internet service providers, and data-centre operators all had to contend with rising energy costs, foreign exchange volatility, equipment import pressures, Right-of-Way challenges, and persistent infrastructure risks.

Yet, the most important story of 2025 is that the industry did not retreat. Instead, telecom companies across the value chain continued to:

• Expand and densify their networks in high-demand corridors
• Upgrade site power solutions, accelerating the transition to solar and hybrid energy systems to improve uptime and reduce diesel dependency
• Invest in backbone, metro, and access fibre to support rising data demand
• Optimise networks and maintain service availability despite cost pressures

According to data published by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria crossed a major milestone in 2025, with broadband penetration exceeding 50 percent.

This achievement reflects sustained growth in mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, and fibre-backed connectivity across the country.

Data consumption also reached record highs during the year, underscoring how deeply digital services have become embedded in everyday Nigerian life.

From digital payments and online commerce to streaming, remote work, and cloud services, demand for connectivity continued to rise steadily.

This progress is significant because it reinforces a fundamental truth: industry investment, not policy alone, delivered the measurable gains of 2025.

Regulatory and Policy Stewardship: Government’s Role in Market Stability and Long-Term Direction

Beyond physical infrastructure and private-sector investment, government stewardship through both regulation and policy was a critical pillar of sector performance in 2025.

On the regulatory front, the Nigerian Communications Commission played a steadying and confidence-building role throughout the year.

At a time of economic uncertainty, the Commission’s actions helped preserve stability and predictability across the industry. Key areas of focus included:

• Maintaining transparent industry reporting and broadband performance monitoring, which allowed operators and investors to track progress and plan effectively
• Enforcing Quality of Service (QoS) standards to protect consumers and sustain trust in telecom services
• Encouraging infrastructure sharing and colocation, reducing duplication of assets, and easing capital strain on operators
• Managing spectrum efficiency and refarming, ensuring that available spectrum supported rising data demand
• Engaging operators and security agencies on the protection of telecom assets as Critical National Infrastructure

This consistency in regulatory oversight was essential in sustaining investor confidence. In capital-intensive sectors like telecommunications, regulatory certainty often determines whether long-term projects proceed or stall.

Complementing regulatory stability, policy leadership, and strategic direction were provided by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, under the leadership of the Honorable Minister ‘Bosun Tijani.

During 2025, several government-led initiatives were announced or advanced to strengthen Nigeria’s long-term digital foundations, including:

• Project BRIDGE, the proposed 90,000-kilometre open-access national fibre backbone aimed at closing connectivity gaps, reducing infrastructure duplication, and lowering wholesale bandwidth costs
• Expansion of digital inclusion and rural connectivity programmes, including Project 774 and initiatives supported by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF)
• Scaling of digital skills development through the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, focused on building capacity in software development, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data, and artificial intelligence
• Advancement of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, positioning the country early in AI governance, ethics, and adoption across public and private sectors.

Together, these regulatory and policy interventions strengthened the long-term fundamentals of Nigeria’s digital economy. However, their effectiveness ultimately depends on sustained private-sector investment and execution, which the industry continued to provide in 2025 despite operating headwinds.

Why 2026 Is Different: From Endurance to Acceleration

If 2025 was about endurance and consolidation, 2026 must be about execution, speed, and scale.

The outlook for the telecom sector in 2026 is positive, driven by three reinforcing forces: industry-led expansion, regulatory alignment, and rising digital demand.

Industry Ambition and Planned Investment in 2026

In 2026, telecom operators and infrastructure providers are expected to intensify investment across several fronts:

• Accelerating fibre rollout and densification using open-access and wholesale models
• Deepening infrastructure sharing across towers, fibre, and power systems
• Expanding last-mile broadband access through FTTH, FWA, enterprise connectivity, and neutral-host solutions
• Increasing investment in data centres and cloud-ready infrastructure
• Improving network resilience, redundancy, and energy efficiency

These investments are being driven by strong demand signals from fintech, digital payments, cloud services, content platforms, AI workloads, and enterprise customers.

From Policy to Infrastructure Execution

As Project BRIDGE and other backbone initiatives move closer to execution and commercialisation, Nigeria stands to unlock significant wholesale fibre capacity.

This will ease network congestion, reduce rollout costs, and enable ISPs and mobile operators to expand coverage more rapidly, particularly into underserved areas.

Policy, Protection, and the Investment Climate

For 2026 to deliver on its promise, policy execution must match policy intent.

The designation of telecom assets as Critical National Infrastructure was a landmark decision. In 2026, this must translate into visible enforcement – protecting fibre routes, towers, and network facilities through coordinated action involving regulators, security agencies, state governments, and host communities.

Equally critical is Right-of-Way harmonisation and the reduction of multiple taxation. Experience has shown that states that adopt progressive RoW policies benefit from faster rollout, lower costs, and improved service availability.

Replicating these best practices nationally remains one of the fastest ways to unlock additional private-sector investment.

ATCON’s Focus for 2026

As the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, our priorities for 2026 are clear:

• Champion industry-led infrastructure expansion
• Advocate for open-access networks and fair wholesale pricing
• Support NCC-driven regulatory consistency and QoS enforcement
• Push for RoW harmonisation and effective infrastructure protection
• Strengthen collaboration between industry, regulators, ministries, and security agencies
• Amplify the voice of indigenous operators and infrastructure providers

Telecoms must continue to be treated not merely as a commercial sector, but as strategic national infrastructure essential to economic growth, innovation, and social development.

A Positive Outlook

Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has proven its resilience not in theory, but in practice.

The question for 2026 is no longer whether the industry can survive; it is how quickly it can scale.

With continued industry investment, regulatory stability, and policy execution aligned with market realities, 2026 will mark the beginning of a new phase of accelerated growth, deeper digital inclusion, and stronger digital foundations for Nigeria’s economy.

This was revealed during the inaugural Rural Connectivity Summit organised by Business Metrics, in Lagos, where Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), stressed that connectivity is far more than speed, it’s about economic inclusion.

“The accurate measure of connectivity is not in megabits per second, but in the economic value it creates or loses,” said Dr Aminu Maida, whose keynote address was delivered by Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the NCC Lagos Office.

At the event, themed “Rethinking Digital Connectivity to Unlock Rural Economic Potential,” he described connectivity as “an indispensable part of life,” noting that when it fails, “opportunities stop, and lives can be at risk.”

Dr Maida noted that despite progress, rural Nigeria is digitally invisible, with internet access still at 23% compared to 57% in urban areas. This gap, he explained, cuts off millions from modern education, markets, healthcare, and financial services, a situation he called “unacceptable and unsustainable.”

Research shows that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can drive 1.38% GDP growth in developing economies. However, Nigeria’s broadband penetration as of August 2025 stood at 48.81%, below its potential. 

While coverage has expanded, with 3G and 4G networks reaching 86.34%, usage and household access remain at 39.2% and 40.1% respectively.

Nigeria’s ICT Development Index (IDI) score also exposes this imbalance. At 52.9, the country ranks 137th out of 164 economies, following far behind the global average of 77.6 and Africa’s 56.1.

To tackle these challenges, Dr Maida outlined NCC’s ongoing initiatives through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The Fund has financed over 2,500 educational projects and delivered 100,000 computers to schools nationwide.

One unique project is the Emerging Technology Centre at Ogun State Institute of Technology, where more than 9,000 students now have access to digital tools for innovation.

Beyond education, the USPF’s e-Health Project connects rural clinics to larger hospitals for remote consultations, while the e-Accessibility Project provides persons with disabilities with assistive technology. 

To ensure sustainability, the NCC has also launched the Impact Alliance, a partnership network involving private sector players, civil society, and international bodies, to co-invest in inclusive connectivity.

In response to the sabotage of telecom infrastructure, Dr Maida highlighted the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order, signed by the President in June 2024, empowering law enforcement to protect telecom assets. 

“Our advocacy has led to 11 states offering zero charges for right-of-way permits,” he said, adding that 70 others have aligned with the national benchmark of ₦145 per linear metre.

The Commission has also been working with mobile network operators, global partners like GSMA and the World Bank, and the Office of the National Security Adviser to safeguard telecom assets and promote affordable broadband deployment.

“We stand at a strategic crossroads. The global digital race is accelerating, and we must act decisively to ensure our youth are creators, not consumers, of digital value,” Dr Maida said.

He urged governors to support right-of-way reforms, operators to speed up rural rollouts, and communities to protect telecom infrastructure. “These assets are their bridge between backwardness and global relevance,” he stated.

With over 45% of Nigeria’s population still living in rural areas, the NCC wants digital inclusion to go beyond policies, it is a national strategy for growth.

Mr. Olorunnimbe was appointed alongside other distinguished designate-Board members and members of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) Board.

The appointments, announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, bring together a team of seasoned professionals whose careers are marked by excellence, proven competence, and a deep understanding of governance and innovation.

Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman/CEO of the NCC, described the new leadership as “a strategic asset” for the nation’s digital economy drive.

“These are individuals with vast experience and a passion for progress. Their collective expertise will not only guide the Commission’s regulatory mission but will also inject fresh momentum into Nigeria’s journey toward a vibrant, inclusive digital economy,” he said.

NCC expressed its gratitude to President Tinubu for the appointments, pledging to work hand-in-hand with its supervising Ministry and the new Board to deliver on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

With their strategic insights and strong governance approach, the Commission believes this leadership team will help accelerate the transformation of Nigeria’s communications landscape, ensuring it remains a powerful engine for economic growth, innovation, and national development.

Idris Olorunnimbe has been named Chairman of the NCC, while Dr Aminu Maida retains his position as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a role he was appointed to in October 2023 and confirmed by the Senate the following month. 

Olorunnimbe previously served on the board of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee and led youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives.

The new NCC board members include Abraham Oshidami as Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Rimini Makama as Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Hajia Maryam Bayi, former Director of Human Capital & Administration; Col Abdulwahab Lawal (Rtd); Senator Lekan Mustafa; Chris Okorie; and Princess Oforitsenere Emiko. The board secretary completes the line-up.

For the USPF, Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, will serve as Chairman, with Olorunnimbe as Vice Chairman. 

Other members are Oshidami, Makama, Aliyu Edogi Aliyu (representing the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy), Joseph B. Faluyi (Ministry of Finance representative), Auwal Mohammed (Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning representative), Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon, Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri, and the USPF Executive Secretary, Yomi Arowosafe.

The USPF, established by the Federal Government, is tasked with expanding access to information and communication technologies in rural, unserved, and underserved areas, aligning with Nigeria’s digital inclusion agenda.

Arowosafe gave the commendation at an Industry-Focused Stakeholders Engagement Session which was organised in Lagos over the weekend by the USPF in in collaboration with the UK-FCDO and the ITU.

The session built on USPF’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the achievement of wide network connectivity coverage in unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria.

The event was attended by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Faruk Yabo; the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida; Chief Executives of telecommunications companies, State ICT commissioners, notable industry players, trade associations, development partners, key speakers, distinguished guests and staff of both NCC and the USPF.

The Minister spoke on the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to provide enabling policy directions and initiatives towards ensuring greater connectivity in Nigeria to transform the socio-economic development of Nigeria while the NCC boss, Maida emphasized the Commission’s resolve to continue to back all USPF projects through effective regulatory measures that help in accelerating deployment of necessary digital infrastructure that support the achievement of the Federal Governments’ priority areas and ministerial blueprint.

Speaking at the event, the Arowosafe said the engagement reflected the USPF’s shared vision and commitment to expanding inclusive connectivity and that the presence of all other stakeholders at the event underscored the vital role of collaboration in achieving the goal.

He said the theme of this workshop, “Fostering Connectivity in Unserved and Underserved Communities: Collaborating for Sustainable Growth”, highlighted  government’s dedication to bridging the digital divide, in alignment with NCC’s Strategic Focus Areas, the Ministry’s Strategic Blueprint, and Presidential Priority Areas.

“Together, we have the power to create sustainable and inclusive pathways to ensure no community is left behind. Achieving this requires strong partnerships among government, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), development partners, and community leaders. By sharing insights and resources, we can design tailored solutions that address both immediate and long-term connectivity challenges,” he said.

The USPF Secretary stated that ahead of the session, the Fund gathered input from stakeholders through questionnaires.

He said the responses obtained shaped the panel discussions, focused on key strategies to foster connectivity through collaboration and partnerships, strengthen capacity building and security, and explore innovative funding mechanisms for sustainable connectivity.

He said the engagement, thus, offered a platform for robust dialogue and practical solutions that address our unique challenges and help improve telecommunications access in underserved regions, while encouraging participants to actively participate, share their expertise, and contribute to shaping outcomes that will strengthen the nation’s digital ecosystem and improve the lives of all Nigerians.

“This event marks the beginning of a collective journey toward a more connected, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria. USPF is proud to lead this effort, and we look forward to what we can accomplish together,” he said.

The project named: Emerging Technologies Centre (ETC), sited on the Institute’s campus, is aimed at enhancing learning experience of students while providing a platform for digital innovation, research, and development (R&D) for the overall economic growth of Nigeria.

The highlight of the inauguration and handover ceremony on Thursday was the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ensuring effective utilisation and sustainability of the ICT project in the Institute.

The ETC is one of the access projects of the USPF and a significant milestone towards the government’s policy direction to bridge digital divide and promote digital inclusion across Nigeria.

The Centre is equipped with 100 desktop computers, emerging technology applications, bandwidth, and connectivity tools, to provide students and faculty members with access to cutting-edge technology and resources.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony, Yomi Arowosafe, the USPF Secretary, said the Centre represents more than just bricks and mortar. According to him, it embodies a vision, a commitment, and an investment in the future of Ogun State, and by extension, the future of our nation, Nigeria.

“Under the strategic direction of the Hon Minister of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and strategic focus of the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the USPF is vested with the mandate of providing ICT access to the unserved and underserved communities across the country,” he said.

Through strategic implementation, Arowosafe said the USPF has implemented various access and connectivity projects across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, which has continued positively impact ICT utilisation and deepen connectivity across the country.

“With a student population of 9,300, OGITECH is one of the leading institutions of technology in Nigeria, and we are proud to partner with them to bring this project to fruition. The ETC will not only enhance the learning experience of students but also provide a platform for innovation, research, and development.

“We expect this project to have a significant impact on the institution and the wider community. It will provide opportunities for students to develop skills in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cybersecurity. It will also enable faculty members to integrate technology into their teaching and research and to collaborate with other institutions and industry partners,” he said.

The USPF Secretary also stated that the ETC will serve as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, providing a platform for start-ups and small businesses to incubate and grow.

“We believe that this project will contribute to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy, and we are proud to be a part of it and we look forward to seeing the impact of this project on the institution and the wider community,” he said.

Arowosafe stated that the MoU signing has been designed as part of sustainability strategy for future projects of USPF, where the beneficiary organisations, group and communities can take ownership of such project and be committed to taking necessary initiatives to ensure it continually serves them without being abandoned after handover by the USPF.

In his remarks during the handover ceremony, the Rector of OGITECH, Dr. Abiodun Oluseye, applauded the NCC and the USPF team for siting the project in the Institute, promising that the project will be put into effective utilisation to benefit not only the Institute abut its entire community.

He also expressed commitment towards ensuring the sustainability of the project, as has been articulated in the joint MoU between the OGITECH and the USPF.

“We will ensure the sustainability of the project and work towards putting it into effective use for the benefits of the entire community,” he said.

The USPF was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and universal service to ICTs in rural, un-served and under-served areas in Nigeria.

The Fund is being managed to facilitate the widest possible access to affordable telecommunications services for greater social equity and inclusion for the people of Nigeria.

The project is part of government’s efforts to give concrete expression to the underlining principles and fundamental philosophy of the emergent digital culture in Nigeria, particularly Item No. 2 of the eight pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, is also expected at the event as a Special Guest of Honour.

According to a statement signed by Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, director, Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the Digital Nigeria Centre, hitherto known as School Knowledge Centre (SNC), targets students and youths for skills acquisition in order to increase Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy among school teachers and students; provide a platform for accessing online educational resources; equip students with ICT skills; facilitate ICT adoption in teaching and learning; and increase pass rate in mathematics, English language and other science subjects.

This project, the first to be commissioned in Osun State since the modification of the project as DNC, is located at the Ijesa Muslim Grammar School, Ilesa.

The four components of the Digital Nigeria Centre include ICT Tool component (made up of 40 desktop computers with embedded operating systems, server, printer, remote-controlled projector, high resolution scanner, and e-learning software). Another component is the Power structure, consisting of an inverter that comes with its charger, solar panels, batteries and automatic changeover.

There is also a Connectivity component, made up of routers, switches, firewall for network protection, modem, fibre/microwave radio or VSAT and bandwidth for internet connectivity. Finally, there is a non-ICT component constitutive of the furniture, cabinet, cooling systems, and allied appliances.

The DNC is a project of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), an arm of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), established under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 with the overarching objective to carry out the Commission’s statutory mandate of expanding the frontiers of universal access and universal service by ensuring service provision to unserved and under-served areas of the Nigerian economy.

Therefore, as mandated by NCA 2003, the USPF promotes the widespread availability and usage of network and application services throughout Nigeria by encouraging the installation of network facilities and the provision of network services and applications services to institutions, particularly in unserved and underserved areas and for underserved groups within the community.

Since inception in 2006, the USPF under NCC supervision and directive of the Minister, has implemented series of programmes and projects that promote ICT inclusion and adoption to mainstream accessibility to communication services for citizens and position Nigeria for global competitiveness in the emergent digital culture.