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The forum, held September 29-30, 2026, under the theme “Unlocking Infrastructure Investment through Data, Transparency and Partnerships”, brought together the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, representative of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, heads of agencies, DFIs, investment banks, MNOs, tower and fibre companies, satellite providers and industry associations.
Day 1 addressed Data, Demand and Infrastructure Investment Opportunities; Day 2 focused on Financing, Partnerships and Action Pathways, closing with Investment Partnership and Investor Access Roundtables.
Participants observed that demand is outgrowing networks, with Nigeria consuming about 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026, up almost 47% in twelve months, with subscriptions projected to grow from about 195 million towards 350 million within 10-15 years.
They noted that telecommunications and information services accounted for 9.72% of Nigeria’s real GDP in Q2 2026, while mobile contributed about USD 240 billion to Africa’s economy in 2025.
Participants, according to a communiqué issued at the end by Nnenna Ukoha, Director, Public Affairs Department, NCC, resolved:
- Federal Government should accelerate Project BRIDGE, the 90,000km national fibre backbone, improve power availability for digital infrastructure, sustain policy consistency and support financing structures that reduce cost of capital.
- NCC should sustain tariff realignment, designation of Critical National Information Infrastructure and RoW engagement, publish first national Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index report, advance open-access and wholesale regulation, and finalise direct-to-device framework.
- State Governments should cut and harmonise RoW and site permit charges and shorten permitting timelines.
- Operators and infrastructure companies should pursue shared-infrastructure and neutral-host models and pair coverage investment with affordable devices, including locally manufactured devices and SIMs.
- Investors and DFIs should match long-life assets with long-tenor naira capital and use blended structures and credit enhancement.
Priority timelines agreed, included
- Within 6 months: Secure funding for community co-owned rural networks powered by renewable energy in zero-connectivity communities via USPF, States and Rural Electrification Agency.
- Within 6-18 months: Issue open-access and wholesale regulation, publish wholesale rate card, complete broadband mapping; give USPF regulatory backing as primary source for underserved-area projects; build business case for indoor coverage; capture data-centre requirements in National Broadband Plan.
- Within 18-24 months: Establish financing framework for telecom power; develop metro and access fibre under concession integrated with Project BRIDGE.
The NCC undertook to sustain engagement to advance actions.
Nigeria, as Co-Champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade and first state party to ratify it, is positioned as a platform to serve Africa.
The forum observed that usage, rather than coverage, is now the larger gap: mobile broadband covers about 90% of Nigerians, yet smartphone ownership stands at about 27% and broadband penetration at 57.4% against a 70% target.
Device affordability, digital skills and trust are binding constraints.
Independent evidence from NCC-Swedfund-Ookla collaboration provides granular picture of user experience, with approach agreed to “screen nationally, validate locally, and verify after intervention.”
Power and middle-mile were identified as binding constraints.
“For tower companies’ power is not a side business but the business,” the communique stated, adding that cost of inland connectivity confines datacentre investment to few metros.
On financing, participants noted infrastructure financing grew from under N70 billion in 2004 to N19.4 trillion in 2025, but long-life assets of 20-30 years cannot be financed on five-year bank tenors.
State-level conditions determine pace: pilot of Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index across 12 states shows RoW reform translating into fibre growth of 22% to 95% in reforming states, with 12 states now charging zero, up from seven in December 2024.
Investor perspectives were provided by Mr. Bolaji Balogun, CEO, Chapel Hill Denham, on financing digital infrastructure and need for investable projects, and Mr. Bismarck Rewane, Chairman, FCMB Board and MD, Financial Derivatives Company, on cost of capital, policy predictability and productivity.