Stakeholders express concern over Nigeria’s ITU representation, domestic telecom priorities
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have raised concerns over the country’s representation at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council in Geneva, warning that frequent international engagements without commensurate domestic progress
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have raised concerns over the country’s representation at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council in Geneva, warning that frequent international engagements without commensurate domestic progress could erode confidence in policy implementation.
The stakeholders noted that Nigeria may have deviated from established global practice by appointing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to represent the country at the council, rather than a senior technical regulator.
The stakeholders in report titled: While Nigeria's network falter, the Minister decamps to Geneva again noted that the representation should be done by the
Executive Commissioner for Technical Services at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Engr. Sunday Oshadami, a professional whose expertise in spectrum management, standards, and regulatory engineering aligns with roles typically held by ITU Council leaders globally.
However, they noted that counterparts in Europe, Latin America, and parts of the Gulf are often represented by technical officials rather than political office holders.
The Geneva engagement follows a series of international outings by the minister. In September 2025, Tijani participated in multiple events during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week in New York, holding bilateral meetings and attending digital economy forums.
While such engagements are seen as important for international visibility, the stakeholders added that there is limited evidence of concrete outcomes translating into measurable benefits for Nigerians.
While noting that Tijani is expected to spend about ten days at the Geneva meeting, this move, they said, is unusual given prevailing challenges in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
The development, they noted, comes amid Nigeria’s struggle to meet key digital economy targets.
"The Federal Government had set a goal of achieving 70 per cent broadband penetration by the end of 2025, but figures from late 2025 show penetration at roughly 50 per cent.
"Active internet subscriptions also dropped significantly, declining from 163.8 million in December 2023 to 139.2 million by December 2024, largely due to SIM–NIN linkage enforcement and industry data adjustments.
"Infrastructure deficits remain a major concern, with fibre optic cable cuts estimated at between 30 and 43 incidents daily. In addition, right-of-way charges continue to vary across states, creating bottlenecks for network expansion", they explained.
They further highlighted rising data costs, noting that entry-level internet plans have become less affordable based on ITU benchmarks.
Addressing these issues, the stakeholders noted, requires sustained domestic engagement, including collaboration with state governments on right-of-way harmonisation, security agencies on infrastructure protection, and economic managers on foreign exchange pressures affecting telecom operators.
Concerns have also been raised about the financing model of the Federal Government’s flagship broadband initiative, Project BRIDGE, formally known as the Digital Value Chain Infrastructure for Boosting Employment (D-VIBE).
The project aims to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre infrastructure nationwide, with funding comprising $200 million from the African Development Bank, $500 million from the World Bank, and $100 million from the European Bank for reconstruction and development, bringing total multilateral financing to $800 million out of an estimated $2 billion project cost.
The stakeholders emphasised that the funding is sovereign, meaning the Federal Government bears repayment obligations either directly or as guarantor.
They also warn that the project’s structure implemented through a special purpose vehicle with minority public ownership, could expose the government to financial risks if projected returns fall short.
While acknowledging the importance of Nigeria’s role at the ITU Council, the stakeholders called for a more balanced approach to international representation.
They recommended that technical regulators lead such engagements, supported by relevant agencies, while ministers prioritise domestic policy coordination and sector reforms.
According to them, focusing on critical issues such as infrastructure protection, affordability, and regulatory efficiency will be key to achieving Nigeria’s digital economy objectives.
