Nigeria is preparing for a major upgrade in its space and digital infrastructure as the federal government moves to replace its aging communications satellite, NigComSat-1R, with two new satellites. The decision, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, signals how seriously the country is taking the future of connectivity, data, and digital growth.
The plan was confirmed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, during a press briefing in Abuja on January 28, held to mark World Data Privacy Day. While the event focused on data protection, the satellite announcement quietly carried far bigger implications for Nigeria’s long-term digital ambitions.
At the centre of the plan is NigComSat-1R, Nigeria’s only operational communications satellite. Launched in December 2011, NigComSat-1R was designed to last 15 years, meaning it was expected to retire around 2026. The government has already extended its life to 2028, but officials are clear that a replacement can no longer wait. Being the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa due to its uniqueness. It is managed by the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited as a government-owned limited liability company established on the 4th of April, 2006, presently under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.
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NigComSat-1R itself was a second chance. The original NigComSat-1, launched in 2007 with Chinese support, failed less than a year after deployment. Since then, NigComSat-1R has carried much of Nigeria’s satellite-based communications needs, supporting broadcasting, broadband services, defence, and government connectivity. But like all space assets, it has a shelf life, and Nigeria is now racing against time to avoid a gap.
Rather than replace it with a single satellite, the government wants two new ones. The idea is not just redundancy, but scale. Nigeria’s digital needs today are vastly different from what they were in 2011. Internet use has exploded, demand for broadband keeps rising, and the country is trying to digitise everything from public services to financial systems.
Tijani linked the satellite move directly to President Tinubu’s economic vision. Digital technology is a core pillar of the administration’s goal to build a $1 trillion economy. Alongside the satellite plan, the government is rolling out 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable across the country, a project that is already about 60% complete. Fibre may be the backbone, but satellites fill in the gaps where cables cannot easily reach.
Those gaps are still large. According to GSMA estimates, about 120 million people in Nigeria were not using mobile internet by the end of 2023, despite a population of nearly 224 million. Rural and underserved communities remain the hardest to reach, and satellites are often the fastest way to bring connectivity to such areas.
This is not a new idea. Nigerian officials have talked about acquiring additional satellites for nearly a decade. As far back as 2016, the government estimated the cost of replacing NigComSat-1R and adding capacity at around $500 million. At the time, the plan leaned heavily on financing from China’s Export-Import Bank, similar to the model used for the first satellite.
That approach has now changed. Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, chief executive of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, said in a September 2025 interview that financing is no longer tied to a single country or lender. According to her, the process has been opened up, with multiple suppliers and investors submitting bids. This shift reflects a broader change in how Nigeria wants to fund and manage strategic infrastructure—less dependency, more competition, and hopefully better terms.
Beyond funding, there is another pressure driving the urgency: orbital slots. Countries are allocated specific positions in space by the International Telecommunication Union, and these slots are valuable. If a country fails to use them, it risks losing them. NigComSat-1R currently occupies one of Nigeria’s three assigned orbital slots. Letting it lapse without replacement could weaken Nigeria’s long-term position in space communications.
The demand side is also growing fast. Internet subscriptions in Nigeria jumped sharply in recent years, with the Nigerian Communications Commission reporting steady growth even back in 2020. Since then, streaming, remote work, digital payments, online education, and e-government services have all expanded. Satellites like the proposed NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3 are expected to support these sectors, especially where fibre and mobile networks fall short.
Health, education, agriculture, and public administration are among the areas likely to benefit most. Remote clinics can connect to specialists, schools can access online learning tools, and government agencies can deliver services more efficiently. For a country as large and diverse as Nigeria, satellites are not a luxury; they are part of the infrastructure puzzle.
What happens next will matter. Nigeria must choose partners carefully, manage costs transparently, and ensure the satellites are integrated into a broader digital strategy, not treated as standalone projects. If done right, replacing NigComSat-1R with two modern satellites could quietly reshape how Nigerians connect, communicate, and participate in the digital economy.
This is not just about space. It is about keeping Nigeria connected in a world where being offline increasingly means being left behind.
