EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian telecoms operators plan ₦3.99trn infrastructure injection - ITREALMS

To solidify Nigeria’s digital economy, telecommunications operators under the umbrella of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have committed to a massive two-year capital expenditure (CapEx) plan totaling ₦3.99 trillion across 2025 and 2026, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at an address before the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), ALTON Chairman Engr. Gbenga Adebayo disclosed that following pivotal government intervention in 2025, specifically a strategic tariff adjustment that restored financial sustainability; Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and tower infrastructure companies injected roughly ₦2.13 trillion in CapEx last year alone.

To sustain this momentum, operators have earmarked an additional ₦1.86 trillion for 2026 to expand fiber optic backbones, deploy 5G, and modernize network resilience nationwide.

Despite these landmark commitments, ALTON highlighted a growing gap between conventional capital importation statistics and actual on-the-ground infrastructure deployment. Because a significant volume of network investment is financed through domestic capital and reinvested earnings, standard foreign direct investment (FDI) metrics frequently underreport the industry's real scale.

To address this disparity, ALTON has proposed a unified, transparent investment-reporting framework in partnership with three key institutions, namely the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This collaborative framework aims to accurately capture total domestic and foreign capital reinvestments, positioning Nigeria as a more transparent and credible destination for long-term tech capital.

Addressing systemic operational risks, ALTON commended the Federal Government's designation of telecommunications assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). The association emphasized that network security and vandalism prevention require a "Whole-of-Society" approach spanning government agencies, local communities, and law enforcement.

Adebayo also confronted public allegations regarding arbitrary "data depletion" or theft by service providers, firmly dismissing the narrative.

"Telecommunications operators have absolutely no commercial incentive to steal customers' data. Every megabyte consumed is recorded via internationally standardized, independently audited billing engines supplied by global vendors. Modern smartphone background processes, including automated cloud updates, location synchronization, and high-definition media autoplay, are the primary drivers of rapid data consumption."

ALTON urged stakeholders to focus on promoting digital literacy and utilizing NCC-backed consumer complaint mechanisms rather than circulating unverified claims that erode public trust in the digital ecosystem.