• Seeks investors to close digital gaps
• Maida says Commission puts evidence before regulation

Ahead of Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target by 2030, it has been said that the path to achieving it relies largely on telecom and digital infrastructure.

This was the submission of industry executives and policymakers, who gathered at a high-level digital infrastructure panel to outline a clear consensus: broadband and digital connectivity, rather than traditional industrial sectors, form the critical foundation required to propel Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy.

At the event, organised in Abuja yesterday by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), tagged: “The Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum,” stakeholders examined both the transformative potential of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital space and the operational hurdles, ranging from high power costs to fragmented regional regulations, that must be resolved to sustain long-term Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Moderators and panellists emphasised that Nigeria held a distinct competitive edge due to its demographic landscape. With a median age of 18 to 19, the country boasts a vast, digitally savvy youth population that is fuelling exponential growth in data consumption.

The MTN Chief Technical Officer, Yahaya Ibrahim, highlighted that Nigeria was transitioning beyond the standard digital economy toward an “intelligent economy” driven by artificial intelligence and advanced digital services.

Addressing the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) perspective, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, revealed that his organisation alone has committed nearly $3.3 billion to local network expansion since inception.

While acknowledging that MNOs carry the bulk of fibre deployments, he praised the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for advocating reduced Right-of-Way (RoW) fees across states. More than 13 states had eliminated RoW fees or reduced them to the federal benchmark of N145 per meter.

However, Dinesh warned that state-level road reinstatement charges often offset these gains. Unlike the federal model, where operators directly reinstate dug-up roads to statutory standards, many state governments levy separate reinstatement fees on operators while tasking third parties with the repair work.

The Chief Financial Officer, IHS Towers, Seye Dosunmu, explained that power management was core to operations because the national grid remains unreliable across many regions.

According to him, connecting directly to the national grid was unreliable, hence the need to deploy solar-hybrid and high-capacity battery storage systems at off-grid sites, while entering off-take agreements with micro-grid and IPP providers to secure cleaner, more affordable energy.

Chief Operating Officer of Spectranet, Sumit Gambhir, on behalf of smaller operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) echoed the same concerns, noting that middle-mile transit and power costs weigh heavily on non-MNO entities lacking massive capital scale.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the forum comes as Nigeria celebrates 25 years of the GSM journey, which now reflects how bold policy reforms and transparent licensing transformed communication.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also called for stronger investor confidence to help close Nigeria’s digital infrastructure gap.