Nigeria is to purchase two new communication satellites to fix a major gap in its digital infrastructure, the government has announced.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, revealed the plan on Wednesday, noting that Nigeria is currently the only country in West Africa without an active state-owned communication satellite.
The move is part of President Bola Tinubu’s ambitious goal to expand Nigeria’s economy to $1tn (£790bn) by 2030, a vision the government says is impossible without robust digital connectivity.
Bridging the ‘West African gap’
For years, Nigeria has lagged behind its neighbours in satellite ownership, often relying on foreign providers or terrestrial cables that do not reach the country’s most remote regions.
“Nigeria today is the only country in West Africa with non-communication satellites,” Mr. Tijani said during a press conference in Abuja. “We have been given the go-ahead to procure two new ones, ensuring that we can use them to connect.”
The new assets will complement the “90,000-kilometre fibre optic backbone” project. The minister confirmed that 60% of this massive cable network is already complete, with funding for the final stages fully secured.
Connecting the ‘unconnected’
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that roughly 23.3 million Nigerians live in areas where traditional mobile towers do not reach.
The new satellites will enable “direct-to-cell” technology, allowing standard smartphones in rural villages to connect to the internet without needing a nearby cell tower. The regulator has identified 87 “connectivity clusters” across the country that remain in total digital darkness.
A N16.2bn ‘Trust’ Industry
As millions more Nigerians prepare to go online, officials warned that “connectivity without protection is incomplete.”
The data protection sector in Nigeria has surged into a N16.2bn ($10m) industry since the passing of the Data Protection Act in 2023. Vincent Olatunji, head of the Data Protection Commission (NDPC), reported that:
- 23,000 jobs have been created in data compliance.
- 246 data breaches have been investigated, resulting in 11 major enforcement actions and fines.
- 38,000 organisations are now formally registered as data processors.
Analysis: High stakes in the sky
By Segun Ojumu, Africa Eye News, Abuja
Launching satellites is an expensive and technically complex gamble. Nigeria’s previous attempts at satellite ownership have faced significant challenges, including technical failures in orbit.
However, the Tinubu administration sees this as a non-negotiable investment. By owning the hardware, the government hopes to lower the cost of data for the average Nigerian and provide secure communications for the military. If successful, this could turn Nigeria from a digital consumer into a regional hub for satellite services in West Africa.
The new satellites are expected to bring 23 million more people online.
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