The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for greater investment in broadband connectivity and stronger measures to safeguard critical national infrastructure in the telecommunications sector.
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the call during a business roundtable held on Wednesday at the NCC Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja. The event, themed “Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure: The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity,” focused on accelerating broadband access across Nigeria.
Highlighting the importance of broadband to economic growth, Maida said, “When we talk about connectivity, our minds go to faster downloads or smoother video calls. But the scope and impact extend far beyond these. Connectivity today equals economic inclusion, productivity, and national resilience.”
According to him, as of August 2025, Nigeria had achieved a broadband penetration rate of 48.81 per cent, with over 140 million people connected to the internet. He noted that the ICT and telecom sector remain among the top contributors to Nigeria’s GDP.
Maida emphasised that broadband access empowers individuals and small businesses by transforming local markets into global ones, expanding earning opportunities, and enabling states to build innovation-driven economies.
He cited Rwanda and India as examples of countries that had reaped significant economic benefits from early investment in broadband infrastructure. “With over 200 million people and a median age of 18, Nigeria can not only follow those trajectories but surpass them if we equip our youth with reliable, affordable, high-speed connectivity,” he said.
The NCC boss further explained that sustained advocacy by the Commission, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) led to the signing of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Presidential Order by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024.
The CNII Order, he said, provides legal backing for protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure, empowering security agencies to act against vandalism, theft, and service disruptions while ensuring continued service delivery by operators.
Maida disclosed that the NCC had established a Telecommunications Industry Working Group to coordinate the Order’s implementation, with an initial focus on ensuring compliance with site security, maintenance, and access control standards.
He added that the Commission had also launched a nationwide public awareness campaign through radio, television, social media, and community engagement initiatives to encourage citizens to protect telecom assets.
As part of its drive to promote investment and transparency, Maida announced that the NCC would launch two new strategic tools in Abuja — the Ease of Doing Business Portal, a one-stop digital platform linking all 36 states and the FCT, and the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index (NDCI), an annual framework for measuring states’ digital readiness and competitiveness.
“These initiatives will create a transparent scorecard for broadband progress and foster accountability across all levels of government,” Maida said.
