* REA will provide geospatial data on existing and planned electrification projects, while the NCC will share information on broadband deployments.
Nigeria is seeking to lower the cost of expanding digital infrastructure by linking renewable energy projects with telecommunications networks under a new partnership between the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Rural Electrification Agency.
The two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding on 24 July to coordinate the deployment of energy and telecom infrastructure, with a focus on using renewable power solutions to support connectivity expansion in underserved communities.
The Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, said in a statement signed on Tuesday that the agreement would create a framework for joint planning, infrastructure sharing and data exchange between the two agencies.
The partnership comes as telecom operators continue to face high operating costs, particularly from dependence on diesel‑powered generators to keep base stations running in areas with unreliable electricity supply.
Under the agreement, the REA will provide geospatial data on existing and planned electrification projects, while the NCC will share information on broadband deployments under its Universal Service Provision Fund programme. The agencies will use the data to identify locations where gaps in power and connectivity overlap.
The collaboration will also explore the use of renewable energy projects developed by the REA to power telecommunications infrastructure, including base stations and fibre repeater sites. The agencies will examine opportunities for telecom operators to deploy equipment on REA‑developed energy assets where feasible.
NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, who represented the commission’s Executive Vice‑Chairman Aminu Maida at the event, said energy availability and digital connectivity were closely linked.
“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,” he said.
The NCC said communities without dependable electricity often struggle to sustain telecom infrastructure, while areas without connectivity cannot fully benefit from electrification initiatives.
For the REA, the partnership represents an opportunity to expand the commercial use of renewable energy beyond household electrification projects. Executive Director for Technical Services at the agency, Umar Abdullahi Umar, said renewable energy mini‑grids could provide a cleaner alternative to diesel‑powered telecom sites while creating new opportunities for energy developers and network operators.
“Reliable power and universal connectivity are not competing priorities. They are the same priority, approached from two directions,” he said.
The agreement was announced at the NCC–REA Stakeholder Workshop in Abuja, themed ‘Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria’, which brought together telecom operators, tower companies, renewable energy developers, financiers and government officials.
The partnership forms part of wider efforts by Nigerian authorities to expand broadband access, improve rural infrastructure and support the country’s digital economy. By combining telecom and renewable energy planning, regulators hope to reduce deployment barriers and improve the sustainability of future connectivity projects.
