NCC helmsman, Maida, links actualisation of $1trn economy to broadband connectivity

  

By allcitynews.ng 

 Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) helmsman, Dr. Aminu Maida has linked obtaining of $1 trillion economy by 2030 to 

 actualisation of broadband connectivity.

Maida who made this known at the just concluded 2026 Finance and Business Online Publishers Association (FiBOP), reaffirmed its unwavering resolve to weave a robust, resilient and all-encompassing broadband tapestry that guarantees digital inclusion for every Nigerian, in every nook and cranny of the federation.

Delivering his keynote address at the FiBOP 2026 Conformity and Awards, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Maida, declared that no sector can truly flourish without the lifeblood of achievement of connectivity.

Moreover, while speaking on  ‘Impact of Digital Inclusion and Broadband Penetration in the Quest for a $1 Trillion Economy’, Dr. Maida said the Commission’s sacred mandate is to ensure that the pillars upon which broadband prosperity and digital inclusion rest remain “strong, resilient, inclusive, and capable of supporting the monumental scale of growth Nigeria seeks to achieve.”

Maida, who was represented by the Senior Manager, Regulatory Services, Mrs. Yetunde Adeyemo, waxed eloquent on the transformative power of broadband, describing it as the infrastructure of modern competitiveness – the invisible engine that powers trade, ignites innovation, boosts productivity, widens access to services, strengthens public institutions and hands citizens the golden keys to participate meaningfully in the new economy.

“Digital Inclusion ensures that the blessings of connectivity are not the exclusive preserve of major cities, large corporations or privileged groups,” he said.

In a poetic flourish, he painted a picture of true inclusion: where “a student in a rural community, a market woman in an urban centre, a farmer in a remote village, a startup founder, a teacher, a health worker, a publisher and a small business owner can all access and use digital services in ways that improve their lives and livelihoods.”

For him, the real promise of broadband “is not connectivity for its own sake, but connectivity that expands opportunity.”

Reeling out glittering growth and connectivity indicators as evidence of a solid foundation already laid, the NCC helmsman disclosed that as at April 2026, active telephony subscriptions had soared to over 188 million, with teledensity standing proudly at 86.73 per cent. Total active internet subscriptions, he added, stood at over 154.7 million – a ringing testament to the growing centrality of data in everyday life, enterprise and public service delivery.

Even more cheering, he noted, is the improving quality of connection: Fourth Generation (4G) technology now accounts for 54.41 per cent of mobile technology usage, while Fifth Generation (5G) has climbed to 4.34 per cent.

“This is significant because the future of Digital Inclusion depends not only on whether people are connected, but also on the speed, reliability, affordability and capacity of that connection,” Maida stressed.

According to him, a nation dreaming of a trillion-dollar economy must transcend basic access to meaningful access – connectivity that powers digital payments, e-commerce, telemedicine, online education, cloud services, Artificial Intelligence, precision agriculture, fintech, creative industries and data-driven governance.

Maida revealed that by the first quarter of 2026, the telecommunications sector had contributed over 9.19 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reinforcing its pride of place in the economy.

“This shows that communications infrastructure is not peripheral to national development. It is one of the foundations upon which the next phase of Nigeria’s economic growth must be built,” he affirmed.

Infrastructure: The Engine of Economic Transformation

Drawing lessons from history, the EVC submitted that every great economic transformation has been propelled by infrastructure. If the industrial economy rode on railways, ports, roads, power plants and factories, the knowledge economy, he said, rides majestically on broadband networks, data centres, spectrum resources, digital platforms and the ability of citizens, businesses and institutions to connect, communicate and create value.

“For Nigeria, therefore, the aspiration to build a $1 trillion economy is not merely a fiscal or macroeconomic ambition. It is also a connectivity ambition. It is a question of how quickly we can extend digital access to every community, how effectively we can empower our people with digital tools, and how deliberately we can convert broadband infrastructure into productivity, jobs, innovation and inclusive growth,” he declared.

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