The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has called for stronger regional collaboration to close Africa’s digital divide, warning that nearly one billion people on the continent remain offline despite living in areas already covered by broadband networks.

The call came at a special session of the ATU Administrative Council in Abuja, where government officials and industry stakeholders said expanding digital infrastructure alone would not guarantee internet access unless issues of affordability, digital skills, access to devices and relevant local content are also addressed.

Declaring the meeting open, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, said Africa had made notable progress in information and communication technology (ICT), but significant gaps still existed.

He said mobile connectivity and digital innovation had continued to grow across the continent, while governments were increasingly adopting digital technologies to improve public service delivery.

Represented by the ministry’s Director, Ahmed Mohammed Alsukun, the Permanent Secretary, however noted that millions of Africans were yet to benefit from the digital economy.

“Almost one billion people in Africa do not use mobile internet despite living within broadband coverage. Infrastructure expansion must therefore be matched by affordability, suitable devices, digital skills, trust and local services,” Gagare said.

He stressed the need for African countries to present a common position on global digital governance, saying decisions reached through the ATU should reflect the continent’s priorities at international forums.

According to him, the meeting would help shape Africa’s preparations for the forthcoming ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference scheduled to hold in Doha in 2026.

Gagare said Nigeria remained committed to the vision of the ATU, insisting that stronger regional cooperation was essential to building an inclusive and innovation-driven digital economy.

He added that African countries should leverage the union’s platform to share experiences, attract investment, strengthen cybersecurity, expand digital infrastructure and ensure that no nation was left behind in the continent’s digital transformation.

Also speaking, ATU Secretary-General, John Omo, described the Abuja meeting as a crucial milestone in preparations for the 7th General Session of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries.

He explained that the Administrative Council would review the union’s activities over the past four years, consider amendments to its constitution and convention, and finalise documents that would guide deliberations at the conference.

“The conference can exercise its authority effectively only when the proposals placed before it are legally sound, procedurally credible and supported by an honest account of implementation,” Omo said.

He urged delegates to produce recommendations that would strengthen the institutional framework of the union and respond to the evolving needs of Africa’s telecommunications sector.

In her remarks, the Chairperson of the Administrative Council and Director-General of South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani, said Africa must intensify regional cooperation to address growing economic, environmental and technological challenges.

She noted that climate-related disasters, rapid technological change and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect trade, investment and economic growth across the continent.

Jordan-Dyani said strengthening the ATU would support implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), deepen regional integration and advance the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

She urged governments, development partners, the private sector, academia and civil society to work together in shaping Africa’s digital future.