Tower company IHS Nigeria has stressed the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, operators, policymakers and other stakeholders to improve the sustainability and resilience of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

The company made the call at a stakeholder breakfast organised by the Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) in Abuja.

The meeting brought together representatives of regulatory agencies, industry players, academia, development organisations, technology startups and other stakeholders to discuss sustainability priorities and review the TTSWG’s proposed Strategy for 2025–2030.

The forum also provided an opportunity to present proposed sustainability metrics for the telecommunications industry to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Speaking on behalf of IHS Nigeria, its Director of Sustainability, Titilope Oguntuga, described the engagement as important for developing practical solutions to the sector’s environmental, social and governance challenges.

She said the dialogue provided an opportunity for stakeholders to assess progress made and identify areas requiring greater collaboration.

“TTSWG’s progress reflects a shared and enduring conviction: that technology and innovation remain among the most effective tools available to address the sector’s challenges,” she said.

Oguntuga said collaboration among industry players, regulators and other stakeholders was essential to addressing issues affecting Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

In his opening remarks, TTSWG Board Chairman, Abdu-Waya Mohammed, said the proposed strategy provides a framework for strengthening collaboration around sustainability in the telecommunications and technology ecosystem.

He said the strategy focuses on renewable energy transition, digital inclusion, governance, collaborative innovation and sustainable development.

Mohammed, however, stressed that the strategy remained a draft developed through stakeholder engagement and would require further input before adoption.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center, Bankole Oloruntoba, described TTSWG as a multi-stakeholder platform for advancing sustainability across the telecommunications and technology ecosystem.

He said its areas of focus include sustainable energy, digital inclusion, electronic waste management, gender and capacity development, youth participation, innovation, community development and policy advocacy.

Oloruntoba also highlighted initiatives including the Innovation Makers Challenge, research and knowledge-sharing activities, webinars and programmes aimed at identifying and supporting innovation in the sector.

A key component of the meeting was the presentation of a proposed sustainability metrics framework by a board member of TTSWG, Dr Chris Uwaje.

The framework is designed to provide measurable indicators for assessing sustainability performance across areas including energy and decarbonisation, digital inclusion and affordability, digital integrity and consumer trust, infrastructure resilience, governance and waste reduction.

Uwaje said the metrics were still under development and would be subjected to stakeholder review before consideration by

relevant regulatory authorities.
The engagement also featured contributions from Helen Obi, Director, Digital Economy Department at the NCC, who represented the Executive Vice-Chairman of the commission.

Obi said there were areas of alignment between the NCC’s priorities and the issues being advanced by TTSWG, including broadband expansion, resilient connectivity, digital skills, local device manufacturing and assistive technologies for persons with disabilities.