02/02/2026
🚀 Nigeria Goes Further in Space & Digital Connectivity
The Federal Government’s approval for the procurement of two new communication satellites represents a pivotal step in strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and advancing President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy driven by technology and innovation.
Speaking at the Global Privacy Day 2026 event in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr. Bosun Tijani, described the decision as a strategic correction of a longstanding gap, noting that Nigeria remains the only country in West Africa without active communication satellites. The new assets are expected to significantly enhance national connectivity, support economic diversification, and enable inclusive digital access across urban, rural, and hard-to-reach communities.
Industry observers increasingly regard Minister Tijani as a silent achiever whose pragmatic leadership is translating long-discussed digital initiatives into measurable outcomes. This is further reflected in the steady progress of the Federal Government’s 90,000-kilometre fibre optic backbone project, with approximately 60 percent of deployment completed and funding secured for the remaining phases. These complementary investments underscore a national strategy that blends terrestrial fibre with satellite-based connectivity to deliver resilient, scalable, and secure broadband infrastructure.
The satellite expansion also reinforces Nigeria’s presence in space-enabled communication services through NigComSat, under the leadership of its Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen. NigComSat’s coverage footprint spans Africa and extends into parts of Europe and the Middle East, delivering services across broadcasting, broadband, aviation, maritime communications, defence support, disaster recovery, and remote connectivity—positioning satellite communications as a critical enabler of national development and security.
This milestone is personally significant as it projects Nigeria more assertively into the global space technology ecosystem. As part of this effort, active engagement has taken place at leading international platforms, including Space-Comm Expo Europe in London and Institute of Information Management (IIM) exhibitions in the United States and Canada. These forums provided direct engagement with global satellite operators, OEMs, defence and space technology leaders, regulators, and multilateral institutions.
Key lessons from these engagements highlight satellite communications as a proven and scalable alternative for last-mile internet service pe*******on, particularly in regions where fibre deployment is economically unviable, geographically constrained, or security-sensitive. Globally, satellite-enabled broadband is increasingly being adopted to bridge the digital divide, support rural inclusion, enhance emergency communications, and deliver sovereign connectivity for government and defence applications.
My professional engagements have focused on translating these global insights into practical value for Nigeria—mobilising Nigerians in the diaspora to channel capital and venture investments from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada into Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and connectivity ecosystem. This includes structuring partnerships, facilitating deal flows, and identifying investment opportunities across satellite services, ground infrastructure, data platforms, and secure communications.
A core pillar of this work has been capacity development in satellite communications and digital infrastructure delivery, with a strong emphasis on CAPEX optimisation through structured training and retraining programmes. These initiatives ensure that investments in satellite systems, fibre networks, enterprise databases, and mission-critical communication platforms are supported by skilled local professionals—reducing dependency on foreign expertise while strengthening operational resilience and sustainability.
Equinoxcore Technology Limited has played a measurable role in this transformation through capital investments exceeding ₦1 billion across CAPEX and OPEX in infrastructure expansion, enterprise databases, professional training programmes, software upgrades, and strategic OEM partnerships. These investments have directly supported technology deployment, operational efficiency, workforce competence development, and indigenous capacity building.
Beyond infrastructure investment, Equinoxcore Technology Limited remains a strong advocate for the protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) and the adoption of robust Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) frameworks aligned with Nigerian law and international best practice. This includes alignment with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), the Cybercrimes Act, the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, and regulatory frameworks issued by NCC, NITDA, and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission.
The convergence of satellite expansion, fibre backbone deployment, global industry engagement, diaspora-driven capital mobilisation, cybersecurity and GRC advocacy, and capacity development signals a transformative moment for Nigeria. With sustained collaboration between government, private sector, defence and space stakeholders, and international partners, Nigeria is well positioned to emerge as a competitive digital and space-enabled economy—leveraging satellite communications as a critical solution for last-mile connectivity, national resilience, and global relevance.
Olanrewaju Sulyman Lanre, PMP/FNCS/MCPN/FIIM,CDOA,Member N&CBN Toronto GTA Hub
Executive Director | Equinoxcore Technology Limited
