NCC Approves $1B Investment to Boost Telecoms

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) claims that more than $1 billion in infrastructure investment was initiated in 2025 by its decision to revert to market-driven pricing in the telecom industry and millions of Nigerians living in rural and underserved communities will have improved access to dependable mobile and internet services.

This was said by NCC Executive Vice-Chairman Aminu Maida during a Friday interactive session with journalists in Lagos revealed this, stating that the commission’s decision to return to market-driven pricing was what enabled the capital inflow.

He clarified that following over ten years of stable pricing, the regulation change, which was implemented in January and February 2025, permitted mobile network carriers to adjust prices by as much as fifty percent.

Just one action has made it possible for investments to come in. After verification, we will release more precise numbers in the upcoming weeks, but in 2025 alone, we are talking about an investment of more than $1 billion,” he stated.

In addition to reversing a tendency of a lack of investment that has affected network expansion and service quality enhancements, Maida said the action restored investor trust in the industry.

He also emphasized the fact that the industry is one that requires ongoing investment. The world is changing, and we will fall behind if we don’t establish the proper conditions.

He claims that the value chain’s imbalance, which allows tower companies to annually change prices to account for inflation and exchange rates but not mobile network providers, prevented new investment.

“Continuous investment is necessary in this industry. The world is changing, and we will fall behind if we don’t establish the proper conditions,” he stated.

The head of the NCC stated that the commission chose to go back to the principles of the 2003 Communications Act and the 2000 Telecom Policy, which allows market forces to set reasonable rates while preserving healthy competition for the benefit of customers.

He revealed that network expansion and upgrade projects were already under way, as operators have prioritised both urban upgrades and rural expansion to fill areas that lack coverage and that some of the new equipment that operators had bought had begun to arrive in the nation since June. 

“To make sure that remote areas are not left behind, we are monitoring progress every week,” he continued. To keep track of the number of sites being constructed, the enhancements being made, and our ability to intervene when operators run into problems with authorities, we have weekly calls with operators,” Maida stated.

He went on to say that the investments would assist Nigeria stay competitive in the global telecom market, solve capacity issues, while improving on service quality.

He emphasised that by addressing persistent issues like network congestion, dropped calls, and sluggish internet speeds in rural Nigeria, the investments would open doors for e-learning, telemedicine, digital inclusion, and economic prospects.

The head of the NCC also emphasised the industry’s operational cost concerns, pointing out that operators use more than 40 million litres of diesel every month to power their base stations, with the majority of that fuel coming from imports.

Since no significant telecom equipment was produced locally, in the country, he claimed that the industry depends majorly on foreign exchange (FX) to buy all network hardware and software which made matters more difficult.

Nothing that may be purchased locally is necessary to construct or improve a network in Nigeria today. Everything needs to be imported, including the software and hardware, which calls for FX, Maida stated.

Maida also stated that its monthly reliance on over 40 million litres of imported petroleum to power base stations.

He stated that in order to safeguard telecom infrastructure, the commission was collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser to create a fast response force design that was specific to the difficulties faced by each area.

Threats differ depending on the place, he said, with high-insecurity zones possibly needing a more robust civil defence presence and some coastal areas requiring community-based participation.

He claims that the protective approach goes beyond using force and concentrates on resolving structural problems like inadequate security, generator theft, and interpersonal conflicts that leave telecom facilities exposed.

Maida claims that the reforms are intended to guarantee that all Nigerians, wherever they may be, have access to top-notch telecom services, not only to increase operators’ revenues.

He concluded by saying that the protective approach goes beyond using force and concentrates on resolving structural problems like inadequate security, generator theft, and interpersonal conflicts that leave telecom facilities exposed.