Business
NCC, Stakeholders Collaborate to Address Rural Connectivity Gaps
In a renewed push to bridge Nigeria’s persistent digital divide, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has partnered with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and other key stakeholders to tackle the challenges of rural connectivity.
The effort culminated in a two-day policy workshop held in Abuja from June 3 to 4, 2025. The event, themed around enabling community networks, brought together regulators, community leaders, technical experts, and potential investors to address policy and regulatory barriers, develop sustainable funding models, and promote renewable energy solutions for expanding digital access in underserved and unserved areas.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, underscored the importance of the workshop in achieving inclusive socio-economic development through digital inclusion.
“This workshop is an opportunity for all of us to harness the expertise, insights, and experiences of diverse stakeholders—regulators, community leaders, technical experts, and potential foreign investors—to address the critical challenges such as access, affordability of devices, licensing, spectrum allocation, infrastructure development, sustainability, and institutional monitoring,” Maida said.
He added that the NCC views the initiative as a key step in advancing community-centered connectivity solutions across Nigeria. “We recognise the transformative potential of community networks in bridging the digital divide and are committed to ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind,” he noted.
Kathleen Diga, Co-manager of APC’s Local Networks (LocNet) initiative, emphasised the need to adopt a bottom-up approach in supporting digital inclusion efforts. “This is a space where we can be open and exchange ideas about the possibilities and opportunities that remain untapped in building a diversified ecosystem,” she said.
Diga highlighted the value of small social enterprises, cooperatives, and grassroots community initiatives in closing digital gaps, particularly in the global south. “Community connectivity networks are growing globally as strategic responses to digital exclusion. This workshop offers a pivotal moment to shape policies that support their expansion in Nigeria,” she added.
The event featured technical presentations from the NCC, APC, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), all geared toward developing a joint policy framework to address rural digital exclusion.
The APC, a 35-year-old international network promoting digital inclusion—especially in the global south—hopes the LocNet initiative will help craft an inclusive regulatory environment for sustainable community networks in Nigeria.
The NCC said the workshop signals the beginning of stronger collaboration across sectors to ensure that digital connectivity becomes a fundamental right for all Nigerians.
