The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to strengthen collaboration between the telecommunications and energy sectors and expand digital infrastructure and electricity access in underserved communities.
The agreement was signed on Friday in Abuja during a stakeholder workshop titled, “Unlocking the Energy Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said reliable electricity and digital connectivity were mutually reinforcing pillars of national development.
“When a community is provided with fast and reliable connectivity, it brings development, inclusion and opportunities,” Maida said.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Maida said communities without electricity often struggle to sustain telecommunications infrastructure, while communities without connectivity are unable to fully maximise the benefits of electricity.
He said the partnership would enable both agencies to coordinate infrastructure planning through data sharing.
Under the agreement, the REA will provide the NCC with geospatial data on existing, newly electrified and planned electrification projects, including mini grids and solar home system clusters.
The NCC, in turn, will share information on existing and planned Universal Service Provision Fund projects to enable both agencies to operate with a unified map of electricity and connectivity gaps across the country.
The NCC Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, described the agreement as a major step towards improving access to telecommunications and electricity, particularly in rural communities.
Oshadami explained that telecommunications infrastructure depended on reliable electricity, while modern electricity services increasingly relied on digital connectivity.
He said the MoU would enable both agencies to identify telecommunications base stations located near existing or planned mini grids, allowing operators to draw power from nearby renewable energy installations.
“The base stations will remain operational even where there is no national grid supply because mini grids can sustain connectivity in those locations,” he said.
Oshadami added that the initiative would significantly improve telecommunications access in rural communities while supporting broader socio economic development.
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Technical Services, REA, Umar Umar, said the agreement had established a formal framework for collaboration after years of both agencies pursuing similar objectives independently.
He said the partnership would focus on data sharing, joint infrastructure mapping and coordinated project implementation.
Umar disclosed that an NCC REA collaboration committee had been established to identify priority locations and develop pilot projects.
“We are bringing together our telecoms and power coverage maps to identify viable locations where both sectors can complement each other,” he said.
He added that the process would produce precise, data driven solutions and pilot projects to guide future infrastructure deployment.
The collaboration is also expected to provide a platform for wider stakeholder participation in evaluating and strengthening implementation strategies.
The MoU is expected to improve coordination between the NCC and REA, reduce infrastructure costs and accelerate the expansion of digital and electricity infrastructure to underserved and unserved communities across Nigeria.
The workshop was attended by senior government officials, telecommunications operators, tower companies, renewable energy developers and financiers, who explored strategies for accelerating digital infrastructure deployment through renewable energy solutions.
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