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The GSM revolution has evolved into a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economic development, enabling growth across banking, commerce, education, healthcare and digital payments, according to Dr Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman of MTN Nigeria and former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Speaking in an interview, Ndukwe said telecommunications has become indispensable to virtually every segment of the Nigerian economy, with connectivity now underpinning a growing range of business and social activities.
Telecom infrastructure drives economic activity
Ndukwe described telecommunications as one of the major catalysts of Nigeria’s economic transformation, noting that businesses across sectors increasingly depend on reliable connectivity to operate and scale.
“The biggest impact has been its role in catalysing economic development. There is hardly any aspect of commerce that does not depend on telecommunications services,” Ndukwe said.
He noted that the expansion of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure also helped create the conditions for international financial service providers to operate in the country.
According to him, companies such as Visa and Mastercard had previously faced limitations in Nigeria because the country lacked the telecommunications infrastructure required to support their operations effectively.
Banking and fintech among biggest beneficiaries
The financial services industry has been one of the most significant beneficiaries of the country’s telecommunications expansion.
Ndukwe said the rapid growth of Nigeria’s banking sector, including improvements in reach, efficiency and service delivery, would not have been possible without widespread telecommunications infrastructure.
“For the banking industry today, it would have been impossible to attain the expansion and the high level of performance and efficiency it has attained without pervasive telecommunications infrastructure and services,” he said.
He added that the growth of mobile money and fintech platforms has further demonstrated the importance of telecommunications to financial inclusion and digital payments.
Platforms such as MoMo, OPay, Moniepoint and PalmPay rely heavily on telecommunications infrastructure to deliver mobile and digital financial services to consumers and businesses.
Connectivity reshapes education and healthcare
Beyond financial services and commerce, Ndukwe said telecommunications has transformed access to education, healthcare and information.
“Telecommunications has also transformed education, healthcare and access to information,” he said.
He noted that broadband connectivity has become increasingly important to learning, while the widespread availability of internet services enabled Nigerians to maintain access to education, work and other essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The adoption of platforms such as Zoom during the pandemic, he said, illustrated how telecommunications infrastructure can support continuity in education and economic activity during periods of disruption.
Telecom narrows Nigeria’s digital divide
Ndukwe also highlighted the role of telecommunications in connecting Nigeria to global economic and technological developments.
According to him, expanded connectivity has enabled Nigerians and businesses to participate more actively in the global digital economy while helping to limit the widening of the technology gap between Nigeria and more advanced economies.
“Telecommunications has made it possible for Nigeria to participate in global developments and has helped prevent the digital divide between us and the more advanced countries from widening further.”
The evolution of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, he said, demonstrates how investments in digital infrastructure can generate wider economic benefits.
As the country’s digital economy continues to expand, connectivity remains central to the development of financial services, commerce, education, healthcare and other technology-enabled sectors, reinforcing telecommunications’ position as a backbone of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
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