Telecom stakeholders are calling for more investment in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure

Telecommunications stakeholders in Nigeria are calling for more investment in digital infrastructure to support innovation and strengthen the country’s digital economy.

The call came at the Telecommunications Sector Sustainability Forum in Lagos, where industry experts, investors, regulators and technology stakeholders discussed ways to improve Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

The forum focused on the need to rethink Nigeria’s digital infrastructure strategy so that the country can attract more investment and encourage technological innovation.

Experts explain that telecommunications has evolved beyond just providing basic communications services. Currently, digital infrastructure supports important areas such as banking, online shopping, healthcare, education and other digital services.

However, stakeholders identified several challenges affecting the expansion of digital infrastructure. These include high infrastructure costs, foreign exchange rate pressures, expensive financing, energy costs and inflation.

Industry experts are also calling for more robust on-premises cloud infrastructure. Cloud infrastructure allows businesses and organizations to store and process data using internet-based services.

They said developing more local cloud facilities could support Nigeria’s digital economy and help store more data in the country.

Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of improving broadband connectivity. According to figures presented at the forum, Nigeria has about 90 percent mobile penetration, while broadband penetration stands at about 67 percent based on current NCC data.

Despite the progress, experts say Nigeria still has room to improve its digital infrastructure and provide reliable internet access to more people.

Stakeholders say stronger digital infrastructure can help businesses grow, support innovation and attract new investment to Nigeria’s technology sector.

Therefore they called for cooperation between government agencies, telecommunications companies, investors and technology businesses to develop a stronger and more sustainable digital infrastructure system.

The discussion showed that digital infrastructure remains an important part of Nigeria’s economic and technological development.

By: Precious Oluwadare