The Federal Government has approved the acquisition of two new communication satellites as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s long term economic growth agenda.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this during the Global Privacy Day 2026 event held in Abuja, noting that Nigeria currently lacks active communication satellites within the West African sub-region.
According to him, “The absence of active communication satellites limits our capacity to fully harness digital opportunities.
This approval marks a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and positioning the country for sustainable growth.”
Tijani also provided updates on the 90,000 kilometre national fibre-optic backbone project, revealing that about 60 per cent of the infrastructure has been completed, with funding secured to deliver the remaining phases.
He stressed the importance of balancing expanded connectivity with strong data protection frameworks, stating that “connectivity must go hand in hand with trust if the digital economy is to thrive,”he said.
On data governance, the National Commissioner of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Vincent Olatunji, Revealed the sector has grown into a ₦16.2 billion industry, generating over 23,000 jobs and attracting foreign investment.
According Olatunji, “Data protection has evolved into a viable economic sector in Nigeria, and our focus now is to deepen enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act while expanding awareness and capacity-building across the country.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed plans to leverage satellite to phone technology to extend mobile network coverage to an estimated 23.3 million underserved Nigerians.
The commission stressed the initiative would help bridge connectivity gaps in remote communities without relying solely on terrestrial networks.
The combined initiatives underscore the Federal Government’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem capable of driving economic growth and national development.