By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the deployment of sustainable digital infrastructure by integrating renewable energy solutions with telecommunications infrastructure across Nigeria.
The partnership was formalised during the NCC–REA Stakeholder Workshop held at the NCC Annex Office Auditorium in Mbora, Abuja, with stakeholders from the telecommunications, energy and development sectors in attendance.
The workshop, themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria,” focused on strategies for expanding broadband connectivity and electricity access through coordinated infrastructure development.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, described the collaboration as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of inclusive digital connectivity and energy access.
He said reliable electricity and digital connectivity are complementary pillars of economic development, noting that communities without stable power struggle to sustain telecommunications infrastructure, while those without connectivity are unable to maximise the benefits of electrification.
“Reliable electricity and digital connectivity are not two separate development goals. They are mutually reinforcing foundations of the same objective that produces an inclusive and productive economy,” Oshadami said.
According to him, the partnership provides a framework for aligning telecommunications and rural electrification programmes through coordinated planning, infrastructure sharing and the deployment of renewable energy solutions.
He explained that the REA will provide geospatial data on existing and planned electrification projects, while the NCC will make available information on current and planned Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) projects, enabling both agencies to jointly identify connectivity and electricity gaps for more effective planning.
Oshadami added that the collaboration would explore powering telecommunications infrastructure, including base stations and fibre repeater sites, with off-grid renewable energy systems developed by the REA.
He noted that the initiative would also encourage the co-location of telecom infrastructure on REA energy assets where technically feasible, reducing deployment costs, improving operational efficiency and accelerating connectivity in underserved and unserved communities.
Representing the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, the agency’s Executive Director of Technical Services, Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, said Nigeria’s digital economy depends on reliable and sustainable energy infrastructure.
He noted that renewable energy mini-grids offer a cleaner and more cost-effective alternative to diesel-powered telecommunications sites while creating commercially viable opportunities for telecom operators and renewable energy developers.
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“Reliable power and universal connectivity are not competing priorities. They are the same priority, approached from two directions. Where we deliver them together, the cost of each falls and the reach of both extends,” he said.
The workshop featured technical presentations by the NCC–REA Collaboration Committee on geospatial mapping, pilot project opportunities and implementation strategies, alongside panel discussions on financing models, policy and regulatory issues, and infrastructure planning.
Oshadami urged stakeholders to move beyond expressions of support by identifying practical financing models, commercial partnerships and regulatory measures that would enable the initiative to be implemented on a sustainable and large scale.
The NCC said the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s digital economy and rural development agenda and is expected to enhance infrastructure planning, deepen broadband penetration, promote renewable energy adoption in telecommunications networks and support socio-economic development across the country.
