NCC Raises Alarm Over Nigeria’s Digital Gap, Says Investors Hold Key to Closing Infrastructure Deficit

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu 

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged investors to deepen their participation in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure sector, saying stronger investor confidence is crucial to closing the country’s widening connectivity gap.

NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum, where government officials, investors, technology companies and development partners gathered to examine ways of financing the country’s expanding digital needs.

Maida said Nigeria needed a regulatory environment built around clarity, consistency and predictability if it was to attract the long-term capital required to expand digital infrastructure across the country.

According to him, investors are more willing to commit funds when they have confidence that government policies and regulations will remain clear and predictable.

“Investors want certainty. They want clarity in government,” Maida said, stressing that the NCC’s responsibility was to facilitate discussions capable of encouraging fresh investment into the sector.

He said increased investment was particularly important as Nigeria pursues its ambition of building a much larger economy, noting that the country would require stronger digital infrastructure to support economic expansion, digital services and emerging technologies.

Data Demand Surges

Maida also highlighted the rapid growth in Nigerians’ consumption of data as evidence of the increasing pressure on the country’s digital infrastructure.

He disclosed that data consumption rose to approximately 1.66 million terabytes in July 2026, compared with about 1.13 million terabytes recorded during the same period in 2025.

The sharp increase, he said, reflects the growing dependence of individuals, businesses and other sectors of the economy on digital services.

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With demand continuing to rise, the NCC boss said the country could not afford to rely solely on existing infrastructure if it wanted to achieve broader and more reliable digital connectivity.

‘Government Cannot Do It Alone’

Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, at the forum, the ministry’s Director of Planning and Digital Economy, Engr Adetunji Adeyemo, similarly stressed the need for increased private-sector involvement.

Tijani said the scale of infrastructure required to meet Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital needs was beyond what government could provide on its own.

“Government cannot do it alone. We need the private sector to come in, invest, innovate and help us build the infrastructure that will support the digital economy we are trying to create,” he said.

The minister said public-private partnerships would be particularly important in taking connectivity to underserved communities while also creating viable opportunities for investors.

He added that investors needed a policy framework that offered sufficient certainty to justify long-term financial commitments.

Forum Targets Fresh Investment

The two-day Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to examine the challenges and opportunities surrounding investment in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

Participants are discussing financing models, regulatory conditions, investment opportunities and possible partnerships aimed at expanding connectivity.

The discussions also centre on ways to unlock more private capital for infrastructure development as demand for internet and digital services continues to grow.

For the NCC, the message from the forum is clear: closing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure deficit will require more than technological innovation. It will also depend on creating an investment climate capable of attracting and retaining the capital needed to build the networks, facilities and services required by an increasingly digital economy.