The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has stated that linking Nigeria's neighbours digitally is needed as part of the country's digital connectivity drive to secure the nation.
The minister stated this at the minister, regulator, and telecoms executives' forum and awards ceremony for 2025, organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Abuja.
Tijani said: "If we must secure our country digitally, we must connect our neighbours.
"We understand that Nigeria cannot be prosperous without the work we do. We can't fix food security in this country without connectivity. We cannot fix this insecurity issue that we have without ubiquitous connectivity.
"If you look at the map of West Africa, you have Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, in the corner, then Cameroon. If you look at all those countries, free flow is also a significant problem for us. We don't have security.
"We just need to do the work that we need to enable some of these things to be corrected. So, it's part of our dream. Can our investment also ensure that we can seamlessly connect our borders and connect those countries? So, nobody can ask the question as to whether we're truly the heart of connectivity in Africa."
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, in his presentation, said broadband deployment must be faster and cheaper.
Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Rimini Makama, said, "Deployment must be made faster, cheaper, and more efficiently if we are to reach communities where commercial returns are fragile.
"To reduce duplication, lower costs, and improve efficiency, the Commission is deepening support for open access models and infrastructure sharing.
"This ensures that operators, big or small, can leverage existing passive and active infrastructure, enabling faster and more affordable network expansion across urban and rural areas alike."
The National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, in his keynote speech titled "Ensuring Security, Resilience, and Consumer Protection," noted that "a secure digital economy is impossible without secure data."
Olatunji, who was represented by the Head, Research and Development, NDPC, Dr. Tolu Pius-Fadipe, said, "Telecom networks are no longer just infrastructure; they are the backbone of commerce, financial services, mobility, identity, education, and national development.
"As we deepen digitalisation, security, resilience, and consumer trust must guide every decision we make."
Speaking during the awards ceremony, ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, commended the federal government's renewed focus on expanding internet connectivity, adding that access to reliable internet services remains fundamental to national development.
"The awards are generally to award excellent companies in our industry," he added.
Speaking earlier, he stated, "The telecom industry stands at a critical juncture. The investment successes of our largest operators have expanded fibre, strengthened 4G/5G, and powered financial inclusion. We should recognise this achievement. But we must also confront the structural reality.
"Today, fewer than five operators control over 80 per cent of Nigeria's subscriber market. Their growth is a testament to scale and execution, but such concentration brings responsibilities and vulnerabilities."