Tinubu Approves Twin Satellite Acquisition to Power Nigeria’s $1 Trillion Economy

President Bola Tinubu has officially greenlit the procurement of two new communication satellites, a multi-million-dollar investment designed to anchor Nigeria’s digital transformation and propel the nation toward its ambitious $1 trillion economic target.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, during a press briefing in Abuja marking Global Privacy Day 2026.

The new satellites will serve as a direct replacement for NigComSat-1R, which was launched in December 2011. With an original design life of 15 years, the existing satellite is scheduled to complete its operational lifespan in late 2026, creating an urgent need for the federal government to secure the nation’s space-based communications.

"Mr President has been very clear about his ambition to build a $1 trillion economy, and digital technology is central to achieving that vision," Minister Tijani told reporters. "He has now approved that we should procure two new satellites. Nigeria today is the only country in West Africa with non-communication satellites, and we have been given the go-ahead to ensure we can use that satellite to connect."

This dual-satellite strategy is intended to bridge the digital divide for an estimated 23.3 million Nigerians currently living in underserved or remote "unconnected" clusters. By deploying two units—NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3—the government aims to provide the critical "last-mile" connectivity that terrestrial fibre-optic cables often struggle to reach due to geographical and commercial challenges.

The satellite procurement is being integrated into a broader infrastructure push, which includes the ongoing 90,000-kilometre national fibre-optic backbone project. Minister Tijani confirmed that the fibre rollout is already 60% complete, with funding secured for the remaining phases. Together, the terrestrial and celestial networks are designed to form a resilient digital ecosystem.

"As we increase connectivity, we must ensure it's done securely," Tijani added, emphasising that the expansion will be paired with rigorous data protection enforcement by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC). "Trust and privacy are critical to sustaining innovation."