Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have called for a review of the country’s digital infrastructure strategy to attract investment and drive innovation.
They made the call at the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF) 7.0 held in Lagos on Wednesday.
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, Mrs Bukola Olarewaju, said telecommunications had evolved from being merely an enabler of communication to becoming a major pillar of the digital economy.
Olarewaju said the sector now supported financial services, e-commerce, healthcare, education, governance and innovation.
She identified rising infrastructure costs, foreign exchange pressures, high financing costs, energy expenses and inflation as challenges affecting network deployment and sustainability.
“The question before us is not whether Nigeria needs more digital infrastructure, invariably we do, but more importantly, how do we create the right environment to attract the capital required to build, maintain and expand that infrastructure sustainably?” she said.
Presenting a paper titled: “Enabler of Digital Infrastructure Development and Investment,” the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Realty Nigeria, Mr Ike Nnamani, said Nigeria did not issue a GSM licence but a Digital Mobile Licence.
Nnamani, who is also Co-Chair of the National Sovereign Investment Technical Working Group, said regulators issued spectrum while operators determined the technology to deploy.
He said telecom operators were increasingly exploring data centres and cloud services as part of the evolving digital infrastructure ecosystem.
According to him, companies such as Amazon and Apple emerged as global technology leaders by embracing emerging technologies rather than remaining traditional telephony providers.
Nnamani also stressed the need for Nigeria to develop local cloud infrastructure to support its digital economy and protect data hosted within the country.
He said the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) had developed a National Sovereign Cloud Initiative aimed at localising cloud services.
Mr Chidi Ajuzie, Chief Operating Officer of WTES Group, said Nigeria had about 90 per cent mobile penetration, while broadband penetration stood at 67 per cent based on current NCC data.
He said the figures showed that Nigeria still had significant room to improve broadband connectivity needed to support the digital economy.
Also speaking, Mr John Nwachukwu, Chief Strategy/Executive Officer of Zoracom Communications Ltd., said network operators were increasingly dependent on fibre connectivity.
He stressed the importance of quality customer experience in sustaining digital services.
The General Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Ajibola Olude, urged stakeholders to focus on measurable outcomes beyond connectivity figures.
Olude also called for the development of skilled digital professionals and greater rural inclusion, noting that many rural communities remained unconnected.
The National Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo, urged the industry to highlight its contributions and achievements alongside its challenges.
Adebayo cited the provision of zero-rated access to professional and educational websites by some ALTON members as an example of industry initiatives benefiting Nigerians.
The forum ended with a panel session involving industry experts who called for infrastructure sharing, improved policies, solutions to power and Right of Way challenges, and a more sustainable environment for investment and innovation.
