Unlocking grassroots tech @NITRA confab'26: How state tax traps, high RoW costs stifle Nigeria’s digital economy - ITREALMS

Nigeria’s push for global digital competitiveness is facing a critical bottleneck as telecom operators grapple with hidden state-level levies, exorbitant Right-of-Way (RoW) fees, and crippling power deficits, reports ITREALMS.

This was the core warning issued by technology leaders, policy analysts, and industry stakeholders at the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Innovative and Scientific Conference held on Thursday at Citi Height Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Delivering insights during a high-powered panel session themed “The Place of Policy and Infrastructure in Nigeria’s Quest for Global Competitiveness,” experts revealed a startling reality: delivering bandwidth from Lagos across international borders to Canada is currently cheaper than routing connectivity to several subnational states within Nigeria.

While several state governments have publicly announced "zero-rate" Right-of-Way policies to attract telecom investments, operators revealed that these promises are often offset by hidden fees.

"When states claim Right-of-Way is free, they turn around and hit operators with development charges, education levies, and infrastructure fees," one panelist disclosed. "These back-door levies make a total mess of the zero-RoW policy and drastically inflate the cost of delivering internet services to Nigerians outside major commercial hubs."

Stakeholders called for an immediate harmonization of state and federal telecom policies, warning that without a unified regulatory framework, regional digital divides will continue to widen.

Addressing consumer pricing and the high cost of mobile devices, panellists urged the Federal Government to step in with targeted fiscal incentives rather than expecting private operators to absorb infrastructure losses.

Industry leaders argued that telecommunications companies operate as commercial businesses, not charities. They urged the government to implement a targeted subsidy mechanism; similar to interventions in the energy sector; to crash the cost of broadband devices and data for average citizens.

Speakers stressed that digital literacy is useless without basic utilities. "You cannot compare a Nigerian child who hasn't seen electricity for six months to a child abroad with 24/7 power and internet. To compete globally, basic infrastructure, power, connectivity, and hands-on technical training, must be guaranteed."

To build a sustainable pipeline of tech talent, computer science experts and cybersecurity professionals advocated for a radical overhaul of the national curriculum and talent retention strategies:

Primary and secondary schools must transition from mere examination centers into active innovation clubs, embedding robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence (AI) early in the learning process.

Rehabilitating Cyber Talent: On the surge of youthful cybercrime, cybersecurity experts cautioned against punitive measures alone.

Panellists called for structured national rehabilitation and mentorship frameworks to convert self-taught, rogue tech talent into ethical cybersecurity assets for national defense.

The conference concluded with a strong call for grassroots public advocacy against the vandalization of telecom infrastructure.

Panelists noted that asset destruction directly impacts service quality and security, urging local communities to take active ownership of national digital infrastructure.

Welcoming guests earlier, NITRA Chairman Chike Onwuegbuchi reiterated that the conference was established to bridge the gap between policy formulation and practical execution, ensuring that scientific innovation directly empowers local communities across Nigeria.