The Federal Government has given approval for the acquisition of two new communication satellites aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s ambitious $1 trillion economic growth plan.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, made this disclosure during the Global Privacy Day 2026 event held in Abuja. He noted that Nigeria currently does not have any active communication satellites operating in the West African region, a gap the new acquisition is designed to address.

Speaking on broader infrastructure development, Tijani provided an update on the ongoing 90,000-kilometre fibre optic backbone project, revealing that 60% of the work has been completed with funding already secured for the remaining portion. He stressed that while expanding connectivity is crucial, it must be complemented by robust data protection measures to foster trust and confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.

In a related development, Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), announced that the country’s data protection sector has evolved into a N16.2 billion industry. According to Olatunji, the sector has created over 23,000 jobs and successfully attracted foreign investment into the economy.

The NDPC has outlined plans to intensify enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act while simultaneously expanding public awareness campaigns and capacity-building initiatives across the nation.

Additionally, the Nigerian Communications Commission has announced plans to deploy satellite-to-phone technology as part of efforts to extend mobile network coverage to approximately 23.3 million underserved Nigerians. This initiative is designed to bridge connectivity gaps in remote and hard-to-reach areas without depending solely on terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure.

The combined initiatives represent a significant push by the Tinubu administration to modernize Nigeria’s digital landscape and position the country as a competitive player in the global digital economy.