The Nigerian Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to provide internet access to 20 million citizens currently excluded from the digital economy, leveraging the country’s sovereign satellite asset, the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat-1R). This crucial initiative forms a central pillar of the nation’s broader strategy to bridge the vast digital divide, particularly between urban centres and remote, underserved communities.
The announcement, recently emphasized by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, confirms the government’s dual-pronged approach: combining terrestrial fiber infrastructure with high-capacity satellite communication. The Ministry estimates that approximately 20 million Nigerians still lack basic access to the internet, severely limiting their participation in the growing digital ecosystem.
Satellite and Fibre Synergy
The core of the strategy relies on utilizing NigComSat-1R, which officials note remains significantly underused despite its strategic national importance. Currently, the satellite’s commercial broadband capacity utilization is reportedly low, presenting a vast, untapped resource for mass connectivity deployment.
Speaking at a recent stakeholders’ engagement, a representative from the Ministry confirmed that the plan is to beam internet capacity directly from the satellite to locations inaccessible or uneconomical for ground-based networks. This satellite capacity will work in tandem with the ongoing expansion of terrestrial fiber. The government is committed to rolling out approximately 90,000 kilometres of fiber-optic network across the country, alongside the deployment of several thousand new communication towers in the most remote areas.
This hybrid model combining satellite ubiquity for distant coverage and fibre speed for aggregation and core network stability is seen as the most effective method to ensure equitable connectivity for the “unserved and underserved” populations.
Driving the Digital Economy
The drive to connect 20 million new users is not merely a social service; it is a vital economic imperative aligned with the goals of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025/2027), which aims for an ambitious 80% national broadband penetration.
The expansion is poised to unleash transformative potential across critical sectors. For the healthcare industry, improved connectivity will underpin the expansion of telemedicine and AI-powered diagnostic platforms, addressing the severe national shortage of medical personnel, particularly in rural areas. Telemedicine initiatives, such as MySmartMedic, were highlighted as platforms that require this ubiquitous connectivity to thrive.
Furthermore, the access drive will significantly boost online education, e-governance service delivery, and financial inclusion by enabling digital public services and fintech platforms to reach previously excluded segments of the market. The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) is actively pursuing an aggressive commercial strategy, targeting N8 billion in revenue over the next three years through expanded broadband services and collaborations with private sector partners to commercialize its idle capacity.
Project 774 and Regulatory Compliance
A related initiative, Project 774, which aims to ensure that all 774 local government areas across Nigeria have at least baseline connectivity, will be a primary beneficiary of the NigComSat deployment. By focusing on local government secretariats and key community hubs, the plan seeks to create accessible points of presence that can serve surrounding populations.
However, officials acknowledged significant implementation challenges. These hurdles include the high acquisition cost of satellite terminal equipment (Very Small Aperture Terminals or VSATs), persistent issues with unreliable power supply required to maintain local connectivity points, and the crucial need for extensive digital skills training to ensure the new users can effectively utilize the internet access.
In parallel with the connectivity drive, regulatory compliance remains paramount. The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) stressed the indispensable role of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, particularly in sensitive areas like telemedicine, where explicit consent and rigorous data security protocols are mandated.
As Nigeria’s digital transformation accelerates, the utilization of NigComSat represents a defining moment, transitioning the national satellite from an underutilized asset into a core strategic instrument for widespread economic inclusion and national development. The coming months will be critical in determining the speed and efficiency with which this massive connectivity gap can be closed.
