As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu advances his reform agenda, his administration stands at a decisive juncture. Economic reforms are reshaping markets, security efforts are stabilising key regions, and Nigeria’s re-engagement on the global stage has renewed international interest in the nation’s potential.
Yet, for these gains to mature and translate into sustainable progress, strategic alignment across all ministries is essential. Nowhere is this more critical than in the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy — the engine room of Nigeria’s technological future and a core pillar of national competitiveness.
The digital economy today underpins job creation, financial inclusion, cybersecurity, governance systems, and youth opportunity. It is the sector that determines whether a nation moves with or lags behind the world. Against this backdrop, performance must be measured not by presence, but by impact.
Unfortunately, current leadership at the digital economy portfolio has fallen short of expectations and has not matched the urgency or ambition of the President’s developmental vision.
Telecom Quality Remains Poor
Across the country, Nigerians continue to endure:
- Persistent dropped calls
- Higher-than-global-average data costs
- Congested broadband corridors
- Frequent service disruptions
These challenges persist despite the ministry’s oversight of major network operators such as MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9Mobile. Nigeria deserves — and requires — a stronger, more assertive regulatory posture that protects consumers and holds providers accountable.
Broadband Expansion Has Not Accelerated
Nigeria’s national broadband goals are clear: expand last-mile connectivity, deepen digital participation, and enable rural access to digital tools.
Yet broadband rollout remains slow, uneven, and exclusionary, constraining:
- Small businesses
- Remote work capabilities
- Health and education technology
- Innovation clusters across states
A government committed to inclusive growth cannot afford inertia in a sector central to economic participation.
The Innovation Agenda Lacks Momentum
While global peers are investing aggressively in:
- Artificial intelligence
- Semiconductor development
- Cybersecurity infrastructure
- Digital talent pipelines
Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem has not experienced comparable catalytic acceleration. Announcements and pilot programmes have not transitioned into scalable national interventions capable of transforming youth employment and tech entrepreneurship.
No Strategic or Political Capital Delivered
Beyond technical delivery, ministers are also political assets. Effective cabinet leadership requires:
- Building national constituencies of trust
- Serving as ambassadors of government capacity
- Supporting the administration’s credibility, particularly among young Nigerians
The digital economy portfolio has not meaningfully advanced these objectives. It has added neither policy weight nor political value to the administration.
A Critical Call for Alignment
President Tinubu’s administration prioritises reform and long-term structural growth. But consolidation requires that every strategic sector moves with clarity, urgency, and discipline.
The digital economy is not a ceremonial ministry.
It is Nigeria’s gateway to employment, innovation, investment attraction, and geopolitical relevance.
A reset is not only prudent — it is essential.
Nigeria needs leadership in the digital economy ministry that will:
- Enforce quality-of-service improvements
- Accelerate broadband and fibre rollout
- Strengthen consumer protection
- Build youth-focused digital skills and innovation pipelines
- Create global technology partnerships
- Convert policy statements into tangible economic outcomes
In an era defined by technology, leadership cannot be passive. The future will not wait.
For Nigeria to consolidate its gains and truly claim its place as Africa’s digital powerhouse, President Tinubu must ensure that every arm of government matches the pace of his agenda.
A decisive review of the digital economy ministry’s leadership will signal resolve, strengthen confidence, and re-energise a sector that holds the key to Nigeria’s next decade of growth.
History rewards leaders who act early and act boldly.
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