The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said that the focus of the ministry would shift to deployment and impact in 2026, stressing that the foundations were laid in 2025.

In a message on his X handle yesterday, Tijani noted that with key initiatives approved and partnerships mobilised, the next phase is about execution — expanding connectivity, activating service platforms, deepening talent pipelines, enabling interoperable digital public infrastructure and translating digital capability into economic growth and improved public services.

While appreciating the sector for the collaboration, trust and shared commitment, which he claimed brought the sector thus far, Tijani recalled that 2025 was an inflexion year, “focusing on moving our digital economy from ambition to committed execution. Much of the work happened below the surface, centred on securing approvals, mobilising partners and ensuring our priorities are not only visionary, but deliverable at scale.”

According to him, during the year, Nigeria crossed several important thresholds across several long-horizon initiatives. These thresholds, according to him, include Project Bridge, the country’s national fibre backbone programme, which progressed to World Bank Board approval, anchoring long-term investment in ubiquitous connectivity.

He disclosed that the NUCAP Towers Programme secured approval for the deployment of 3,700 towers to extend connectivity to unserved and underserved communities, including rural and riverine areas.

The minister said the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill advanced to its final stage of approval, strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for our digital economy.

“The Federal Executive Council approved the exploration of a franchise-based transformation of @NipostNgn, repositioning over 1,500 postal locations as a national platform for inclusive digital and government service delivery. We launched N-ATLAS, Nigeria’s national large language model initiative, as part of building sovereign AI capability and long-term absorptive capacity.

“Through the @3MTTNigeria programme, we continued to expand national digital skills capacity. We launched the Digital Trade Desk, activating it through trade missions to the U.S. and Sierra Leone to translate digital capability into export and partnership opportunities,” he stated.

Tijani disclosed that during the year, Nigeria also delivered Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Standards and Framework, establishing a common reference for interoperable digital systems across government.

“In parallel, led from my office, we implemented the #DevsinGovernment initiative to strengthen in-house digital delivery capability, while advancing the groundwork for a national data exchange system and initiating National Web Design Standards to improve the quality and consistency of public digital services,” he stated.

Equally important, according to him, was strengthening our global digital positioning. He said through coordinated engagements at #UNGA80, VivaTech in Paris and the EU–Nigeria Digital Economy Open Day in Brussels,
“we reinforced Nigeria’s credibility as a serious partner on digital infrastructure, talent, AI and digital public infrastructure. These efforts contributed to new partnerships and investments, including a €45 million EU–NG Digital Economy Package.

“We also had a significant year in the telecom sector. Through tariff rationalisation, tax harmonisation, and protection of critical national digital infrastructure, we helped restore market sustainability and investor confidence, setting the stage for accelerated network expansion, deeper broadband penetration and stronger contributions to GDP and digital inclusion.”

Tijani admitted that all of these works have been undertaken in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of H.E. President @officialABAT, whose leadership has provided the clarity, confidence and policy backing required to pursue long-term reforms.

“It has been a privilege to serve in his cabinet and to contribute, alongside colleagues across government, to building the digital foundations for inclusive growth and shared prosperity,” Tijani stressed.