Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has emerged as one of the most successful pillars of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, delivering tangible benefits to millions of citizens despite economic challenges triggered by broader policy shifts.
From the sweeping NIN-SIM integration to aggressive broadband expansion and strategic policy interventions, reforms in the sector are reshaping how Nigerians communicate, work, learn, and do business, with ripple effects across the economy.
Reforms fueling digital transformation
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According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), over 153 million SIM cards have now been harmonised with the National Identification Number (NIN), a milestone that had stalled under previous administrations. The exercise, completed within Tinubu’s first year in office, is credited with strengthening national security and cleaning up Nigeria’s mobile database.
The government has also prioritised high-speed internet access, with broadband penetration rising steadily since 2023. This, experts say, is fuelling new opportunities in education, digital trade, e-governance, and entrepreneurship, key pillars of Nigeria’s push to build a modern digital economy.
Other major interventions include the push towards 5G deployment, streamlined spectrum licensing, and the suspension of proposed levies on telecom services that would have driven up data and call costs. These steps, analysts note, have encouraged continued private-sector investment in telecom infrastructure despite foreign exchange pressures and a tough macroeconomic environment.
“The policy environment is now more predictable, investor confidence is growing, and Nigerians are getting more value for money from telecom services,” an NCC source said.
President Bola Tinubu
Are telecom reforms enough to secure Tinubu’s re-election?
It is this record of delivery that Hon. Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, believes could become one of President Tinubu’s most potent campaign assets in 2027.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Agbese said the impact of telecom reforms is more visible and relatable to ordinary Nigerians than many other government programmes.
“The transformation in telecoms is not cosmetic; it is foundational,” Agbese said. “When millions of Nigerians get safer, more reliable connectivity, and when broadband begins to support jobs, education and businesses, citizens will remember who made that possible. That is why reforms in this sector alone can merit another mandate for President Tinubu.”
The lawmaker highlighted the “quiet revolution” driven by connectivity, describing it as “the new infrastructure” that expands the tax base, boosts economic activity, and builds national resilience.
He also praised the government for tackling over-taxation in the sector, noting that Tinubu’s decision to suspend planned telecom levies protected consumers from higher tariffs and ensured continued growth at a time when households are under financial strain.
Challenges remain, but progress is clear
Hon. Philip Agbese
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Agbese commended the NCC’s push for corporate social responsibility and initiatives to ensure telecom investment benefits local communities beyond profits. However, he admitted that challenges remain, especially in extending services to rural areas and bridging the digital divide.
“Delivery on telecoms is tangible for ordinary Nigerians. It is visible in schools, markets and farms,” he said. “It is the kind of delivery that people feel — and remember — when they go to vote.”
With less than two years to the next general election, many analysts agree that the telecoms sector stands out as a clear success story of the Tinubu administration, and one that could shape the political narrative heading into 2027.
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