The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has introduced a comprehensive set of initiatives designed to enhance investment opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure capabilities.
These initiatives prioritize accelerated fiber optic network deployment, enhanced electrical power infrastructure, extended financing arrangements, and structural reforms intended to increase the appeal of digital infrastructure ventures to prospective investors.
The recommendations emerged from a communiqué released following the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 2026, an event organized by the NCC in collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla in Abuja.
The forum, conducted from September 29 through 30, convened government representatives, regulatory authorities, investment firms, development finance institutions, telecommunications service providers, infrastructure development companies, and technology enterprises.
Deliberations focused on strategies for Nigeria to address infrastructure deficiencies and mobilize increased private sector capital to facilitate the growth of dependable and cost-effective digital connectivity services.
According to the communiqué, Nigeria’s data consumption reached approximately 1.6 million terabytes during July 2026, demonstrating an expansion of nearly 47 percent over a 12-month period.
Participants also forecasted that subscription numbers could expand from approximately 195 million to 350 million throughout the subsequent 10 to 15 years.
The anticipated expansion in artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies is expected to generate additional demand for telecommunications infrastructure, data center facilities, and electrical power resources.
However, the forum noted that network coverage is no longer the only major challenge confronting digital inclusion in Nigeria.
Although mobile broadband covers about 90 per cent of the population, smartphone ownership remains at approximately 27 per cent, while broadband penetration stands at 57.4 per cent against a national target of 70 per cent.
The stakeholders therefore identified device affordability, digital skills and trust as major barriers that must be addressed alongside infrastructure expansion.
The forum also singled out electricity and middle-mile connectivity as critical constraints on the growth of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
It noted that high inland connectivity costs have restricted the development of data centres and internet services largely to major metropolitan areas, while unreliable electricity continues to raise the cost of operating telecommunications infrastructure.
To address the challenge, participants recommended that energy and digital infrastructure planning should be undertaken together.
They also proposed recognising telecommunications tower clusters as anchor customers for distributed power generation.
Another major recommendation was the acceleration of Project BRIDGE, the Federal Government’s planned 90,000-kilometre national fibre backbone.
The participants said faster implementation of the project would help address the middle-mile connectivity gap and create the infrastructure required for wider digital expansion.
The NCC was also urged to sustain reforms intended to improve the investment climate, including tariff realignment, the designation of critical national information infrastructure and engagement with state governments on Right of Way issues.
It was further asked to publish the first national Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index report, advance open-access and wholesale regulation, and finalise the direct-to-device framework.
State governments were encouraged to reduce and harmonise Right of Way and site permit charges while shortening approval processes for telecommunications infrastructure.
The communiqué noted that reforms in Right of Way arrangements were already producing results.
A pilot of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index across 12 states showed fibre growth of between 22 per cent and 95 per cent in states that implemented reforms.
The number of states charging zero Right of Way fees has also increased to 12 from seven in December 2024.
Participants further called for telecommunications operators and technology companies to expand shared infrastructure and neutral-host models to reduce the cost of rural and indoor coverage.
They stressed that coverage expansion should also be matched with efforts to place affordable devices in the hands of users.
Investors and development finance institutions were urged to provide longer-term naira financing for digital infrastructure, given that such assets can have lifespans of between 20 and 30 years.
The forum also recommended blended financing and credit-enhancement mechanisms to help commercially challenging connectivity projects attract investment.
