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 across Nigeria by integrating renewable energy solutions with telecommunications infrastructure.
The agreement was signed at the NCC–REA Stakeholder Workshop held at the NCC Annex Office Auditorium, Mbora, Abuja, under the theme, “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria.”
The workshop brought together senior government officials, telecommunications operators, tower companies, renewable energy developers, financiers, development partners and other industry stakeholders to explore strategies for expanding connectivity through sustainable energy solutions.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, described the partnership as a major step toward achieving inclusive digital connectivity and energy access across the country.
He said reliable electricity and digital connectivity are interconnected 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.
According to Oshadami, the partnership will align telecommunications and rural electrification programmes through coordinated planning, shared infrastructure and renewable energy solutions.
He disclosed that the REA will provide geospatial data on existing and planned electrification projects, while the NCC will share information on Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) deployments, enabling both agencies to jointly identify connectivity and energy 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 projects, while encouraging the co-location of telecom infrastructure on REA-developed energy assets where feasible.
He said the initiative is expected to reduce deployment costs, improve operational efficiency and accelerate broadband access in underserved communities.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, said Nigeria’s digital economy depends on reliable energy infrastructure.
He noted that renewable energy mini-grids offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to diesel-powered telecom sites, adding that the partnership would create commercially viable opportunities for telecommunications operators and renewable energy developers.
“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 also featured presentations by the NCC–REA Collaboration Committee on geospatial analysis, pilot project opportunities and implementation strategies, as well as panel discussions on financing models, regulatory issues and infrastructure planning.
The NCC urged stakeholders to move beyond expressions of support by developing practical financing mechanisms, commercial models and regulatory frameworks capable of driving sustainable, large-scale implementation.