FG approves purchase of two new communication satellites

The Federal Government has approved the purchase of two new communication satellites to boost Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and support President Bola Tinubu’s plan to grow the economy to $1tn.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a media conference to mark Global Privacy Day 2026, organised by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

According to him, the approval marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s digital strategy, noting that the country currently stands out in West Africa for lacking active communication satellites, a gap the new assets are expected to address.

“As you know, Mr President has been very clear about his ambition to build a $1tn economy, and digital technology is central to achieving that vision. But I think most importantly, one that might come out to wrap your mind, that the president has now approved that we should procure two new satellites.

“Nigeria today is the only country in West Africa with non-communication satellites. And we have been given the go-ahead to procure two new ones, ensuring that we can use that satellite to connect,” Tijani said.

The minister also said progress had been made on the Federal Government’s flagship 90,000-kilometre fibre optic backbone project, which is aimed at expanding broadband access across the country.

He said that about 60 per cent of the fibre project has been completed, while funding for the remaining work has already been secured.

“The 90,000 kilometres fibre optic project is not a dream. About 60 per cent of the work has already been completed, and the funding for the project is secure. As we bring more Nigerians online, connectivity without protection is incomplete. Privacy is the foundation of trust, safety and sustainability in the digital world.

“The success of Nigeria’s digital economy will depend not just on infrastructure and talent, but on trust, and the NDPC remains central to building that trust,” Tijani said.

The minister said the Tinubu administration was positioning digital technology as a key driver of inclusive growth, better public service delivery and long-term economic expansion, adding that investments were also being channeled into digital skills, rural connectivity and institutional reforms.

According to him, the expansion of connectivity must be matched with stronger data protection, especially as Nigeria’s young and digitally active population continues to grow.

He described the NDPC as central to the country’s digital transformation, saying trust and privacy were critical to sustaining innovation.

He noted that President Tinubu signaled early commitment to data protection by signing the Nigerian Data Protection Commission Act into law shortly after assuming office.

Speaking earlier, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Mr. Vincent Olatunji, said Nigeria’s data protection sector has grown into a N16.2bn industry, generating thousands of jobs and strengthening investor confidence.

Olatunji attributed the growth to stricter regulation following the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

According to him, the sector had so far generated more than N5.2bn in compliance revenue and created over 23,000 jobs nationwide.

He said compliance oversight now cuts across the public and private sectors, with 38,677 Data Controllers and Data Processors of Major Importance registered under the law, alongside 307 licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations.

He also said that 8,155 compliance audit returns had been submitted, while 246 data breach investigations had been concluded, resulting in 11 enforcement actions, including fines and remediation directives.

The NDPC boss said the commission recently issued the General Application and Implementation Directive to clarify enforcement procedures, while the Data Protection Act had also been translated into three major Nigerian languages to improve public understanding.

He said that Nigeria’s strengthening data protection framework had improved the country’s appeal to foreign investors, as independent data protection authorities are now a key requirement for cross-border business partnerships.

The commissioner said Nigeria had also gained international recognition, winning the Picasso Award for Best Data Protection Authority in Africa and securing membership of bodies such as the Global Privacy Assembly and the Network of African Data Protection Authorities.

On capacity building, he said the commission had organised 168 training programmes with more than 104,000 beneficiaries, launched the first National Data Protection Officer Certification Examination, certified 494 professionals, and launched youth-focused digital privacy initiatives.

He said the milestones form part of activities for the 2026 National Privacy Week, scheduled for January 28 to February 4, with the theme, “Privacy in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics and Innovation.”

Outlining its priorities for the year, Olatunji said the commission will step up enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, including sanctions against organisations that fail to comply, while also scaling up nationwide awareness to deepen public understanding of data protection and privacy.

According to him, the NDPC will provide clearer guidance and hands-on support to organisations on data protection best practices, alongside strengthening capacity building through the certification of professionals under the National Data Protection Officer Certification programme to align Nigeria’s data protection practices with global standards.

The development was coming on the heels of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) plans to leverage satellite technology to expand mobile coverage to an estimated 23.3 million Nigerians who remain underserved by terrestrial networks.

The satellite-to-phone service, also known as direct-to-device or direct-to-cell connectivity, allows standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites for calls, texts, and data without relying on terrestrial cell towers, bridging coverage gaps in remote areas.