Two new communication satellites have been approved for purchase by the federal government.

Nigeria's digital infrastructure would be strengthened by this action, which also supports President Bola Tinubu's goal of raising the country's GDP to $1 trillion.


This was revealed on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. He gave a speech during a news conference hosted by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission in honour of Global Privacy Day in 2026.

According to Tijani, Nigeria's digital strategy underwent a major change as a result of the clearance. He pointed out that the absence of operational communication satellites makes the nation unique in West Africa, a shortcoming that the new equipment is anticipated to fill.

"Mr. President has been very clear about his ambition to build a $1 trillion economy, and digital technology is central to achieving that vision," he stated.

The president has now approved the purchase of two more satellites, which is, in my opinion, the most significant development.

As of right now, Nigeria is the only nation in West Africa with non-communication satellites. In order to ensure that we can connect using that satellite, we have been given permission to purchase two more ones.

Additionally, he said that the Federal Government's major 90,000-kilometer fibre optic backbone project was moving forward. The project's goal is to increase broadband availability nationwide.

According to the minister, about 60 per cent of the fibre project has been completed. 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,” the minister said.

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

He stressed that the expansion of connectivity must be matched with stronger data protection. This is especially important as Nigeria’s young and digitally active population continues to grow.

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

Tijani said Tinubu signalled early commitment to data protection by signing the Nigerian Data Protection Commission Act into law shortly after assuming office.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s data protection sector has grown into a N16.2bn industry. It has generated thousands of jobs and strengthened investor confidence, according to the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Mr Vincent Olatunji.

Speaking at the same event in Abuja, Olatunji attributed the growth to stricter regulation following the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

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

According to him, compliance oversight now cuts across the public and private sectors. This includes 38,677 Data Controllers and Data Processors of Major Importance registered under the law, alongside 307 licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations.

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

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

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

The commissioner said Nigeria had also gained international recognition. It won the Picasso Award for Best Data Protection Authority in Africa and secured 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. It 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. The week is 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. This includes sanctions against organisations that fail to comply, while also scaling up nationwide awareness to deepen public understanding of data protection and privacy.

He continued by saying that the NDPC will give organisations more precise direction and practical assistance about data protection best practices. Additionally, it will improve capacity building by certifying experts under the National Data Protection Officer Certification program, which would bring Nigeria's data protection procedures into compliance with international norms.

The Nigerian Communications Commission confirmed plans to use satellite technology, as previously reported by The PUNCH. An estimated 23.3 million Nigerians who are still underserved by terrestrial networks will benefit from increased mobile coverage.

Direct-to-device or direct-to-cell connectivity, sometimes referred to as satellite-to-phone service, enables regular smartphones to establish direct connections with satellites for data, calls, and messages. It fills in coverage gaps in faraway locations without depending on terrestrial cell towers.

The regulator stated that the action is intended to resolve ongoing connection gaps in a consultation paper that was posted on its website. Its 2024 cluster gap research, which found 87 clusters with poor service, brought attention to these gaps.

The Commission stated that mobile devices can now link directly to satellites thanks to advancements in satellite and non-terrestrial network technologies. In places where deploying traditional infrastructure is challenging or expensive, this provides a possible answer.