Telecom stakeholders in Nigeria have called for a review of the country's digital infrastructure strategy to attract investment and drive innovation. The call was made at the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF) 7.0 held in Lagos recently. The forum brought together policymakers, regulators, telecom operators, investors, innovators, and other industry experts. The theme of the forum was "Rethinking Nigeria's Digital Infrastructure Strategy to Attract Investment and Drive Innovation."
The Convener of the forum, Mrs Bukola Olarewaju, noted that telecommunications had evolved from being merely an enabler of communication to becoming a major pillar of the digital economy. She identified rising infrastructure costs, foreign exchange pressures, high financing costs, energy expenses, and inflation as challenges affecting network deployment and sustainability. Olarewaju emphasized the need to create the right environment to attract the capital required to build, maintain, and expand digital infrastructure sustainably.
Mr Ike Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty Nigeria, presented a paper titled "Enabler of Digital Infrastructure Development and Investment." He noted that Nigeria issued a Digital Mobile Licence, not a GSM licence, and that regulators issued spectrum while operators determined the technology to deploy. Nnamani stressed the need for Nigeria to develop local cloud infrastructure to support its digital economy and protect data hosted within the country.
Mr Chidi Ajuzie, COO of WTES Group, provided an update on Nigeria's mobile and broadband penetration. He said Nigeria had about 90% mobile penetration, while broadband penetration stood at 67% based on current NCC data. Ajuzie noted that the figures showed Nigeria still had significant room to improve broadband connectivity needed to support the digital economy.
Mr John Nwachukwu, Chief Strategy/Executive Officer of Zoracom Communications Ltd., emphasized the importance of quality customer experience in sustaining digital services. He noted that network operators were increasingly dependent on fibre connectivity. Nwachukwu stressed the need for a focus on quality customer experience to drive sustainability in the digital services sector.
Other stakeholders, including Mr Ajibola Olude, General Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), and Mr Gbenga Adebayo, National Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), called for a focus on measurable outcomes beyond connectivity figures. They also emphasized the need for skilled digital professionals and greater rural inclusion.
The stakeholders' call for a review of Nigeria's digital infrastructure strategy comes as the country seeks to drive innovation and attract investment in the telecom sector. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has developed a National Sovereign Cloud Initiative aimed at localizing cloud services. The initiative is expected to support the development of local cloud infrastructure and protect data hosted within the country.
Key points
- Telecom stakeholders in Nigeria call for review of digital infrastructure strategy
- Need for local cloud infrastructure to support digital economy
- Nigeria still has significant room to improve broadband connectivity
