Telecom
Stakeholders Express Optimism Over Proposed Lagos Innovation Bill
In the wake of the Lagos State Government’s engagement with stakeholders on the proposed Lagos Innovation Policy Bill, key players have expressed optimism and support on the potential of the bill on the state’s development, and by extension, the country’s.
L-R: Akeem Hassan, Technical Advsier to the Honorable Commisioner, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST); Omotayo Fisuyi, SSA on Innovation and Technology, Lagos; Prof Peter Bamkole, COO, Pan Atlantic University; Hon. Tunbosun Alake, Commisioner, MIST; Adeleke Alex-Adedipe, Managing Partner, DOA, all at the stakeholders engagement on the proposed Lagos Innovation Bill recently at the Eko Innovation Centre, Lagos.
Among the voices of endorsement is Beverly Agbakoba, Head of the Sport, Entertainment, and Technology Practice at Agbakoba Chambers. In an exclusive interview, Agbakoba expressed her excitement over the state government’s bold initiative, hailing it as a long-overdue step that will drive Lagos into the 21st century. “I am so excited to see that Lagos State has taken the initiative to formulate an innovation bill,” Agbakoba remarked, “It took me by surprise; I only found out yesterday, and I am very happy to see we are finally beginning to step into the 21st century.”
Agbakoba’s endorsement carries weight, as her legal practice covers the sports, entertainment, and technology – industries that stand to benefit greatly from the innovative digital infrastructure and regulatory framework envisioned by the proposed bill.
“Having a bill is a very good step in the right direction. It means we are going to lay a blueprint for how we communicate and how we set up digital infrastructure, physical infrastructure, and how we can make this state the real economy hub of not just Nigeria but Africa because we are one of the most populous nations on earth. But how are we enabling our people for the 21st century?”
She highlighted the current challenges faced by the state, including poor electricity supply and inadequate road networks, emphasizing the need for the Innovation Bill to pave the way for comprehensive solutions.
Beyond mere rhetoric, Agbakoba called for tangible action and sustained engagement, urging the formation of stakeholder committees and consultation mechanisms to ensure the innovation ecosystem remains at the forefront of the bill’s development and implementation.
“From this event today, let there be some active follow-ups,” she implored. “We want to hear about the stakeholders’ committees that should be set up, the consultation committee to engage the ecosystem. One thing we said today is there must be ongoing engagement and good communication.”
She encouraged other states in Nigeria to emulate the visionary leadership exhibited by the Lagos State Government, recognizing the potential ripple effect that such an initiative could have on the nation’s technological and economic landscape.
When asked about the specific elements she would like to see enshrined in the bill, Agbakoba’s priorities were clear: robust public-private partnership frameworks, clearly defined collaborative mechanisms, and a steadfast commitment to ongoing administration and maintenance of the envisioned digital infrastructure.
Agbakoba’s vision for a fully digitized Lagos, where hospitals, roads, and public schools are seamlessly integrated into a state-wide network, providing universal internet access to every child, underlined the potential of the Innovation Bill. However, she cautioned that realizing this vision hinges on a commitment to maintaining and sustaining the new systems.
“I really want to see the will to maintain the new system,” Agbakoba stated emphatically. “I can’t wait for Lagos to be completely wired, all hospitals, roads, public schools where every child has access to the internet.”
The event, chaired by the Honourable Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Olatubosun Alake, was an avenue for co-creation and collaboration, a move that has been variously been described as Lagos State Government’s commitment to an inclusive and participatory approach to policymaking. Among the stakeholders present at the occasion are Adaora Ikenze – Director, Public Policy, Meta; Prof. Peter Bankole – COO, Pan Atlantic University and LASRIC Member; Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho – Founder, Futuresoft; LASRIC and Alex-Adedipe Adeleke – DOA Law, among others.
In his opening remarks, the honourable commissioner emphasized the important role of Lagos State in driving innovation investment in Nigeria and indeed, Africa, noting that approximately 70 to 80 percent of innovation funding flows into the state. He stressed the urgency of establishing a robust policy framework that encourages continuous innovation investment and drives Lagos to the forefront of the digital revolution. “This is because it can encourage or discourage continuous innovation investment in the state. Today’s engagement is in line with driving an innovation policy framework,” he said.
Victor Afolabi, Chief Executive Officer of the Eko Innovation Centre, in his welcome address, emphasized the significance of the stakeholder engagement as a co-creation event, where collective deliberation would shape the regulatory incentives and create an inclusive innovation ecosystem. He commended the commissioner’s vision and commitment to advancing innovation in Lagos State, describing the state as the innovation engine room of the country and a globally recognized hub for innovation.
The highly engaging and robust stakeholder engagement witnessed active participation from government agencies, the private sector, development agencies, and other key stakeholders. The event featured five breakout sessions, where participants made actionable recommendations and proffered realistic solutions to contribute to the framework of the proposed Lagos Innovation Bill.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has announced the formation of Airbel Ventures, a new humanitarian impact investing fund aimed at accelerating the introduction and scaling of breakthrough technologies in crisis-affected communities.
The fund will invest in companies whose ideas have the potential to change humanitarian response, including digital infrastructure for frontline health systems and climate-resilient agriculture.
The launch of Airbel Ventures follows a period of rapid innovation at the IRC, despite the humanitarian sector facing record funding cuts.
In the past year, the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab has advanced more than twenty Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology initiatives—from anticipatory action tools powered by climate and vulnerability data, to frontline service delivery using safe, orchestrated AI systems, to breakthrough diagnostic tools for emerging diseases.
Airbel Ventures’ first impact investment is in Signalytic, a company delivering solar-powered computing devices that ensure reliable electricity and connectivity for remote health facilities.
Following the investment, the IRC will pilot Signalytic’s technology with its Nigeria Health team, demonstrating the viability of next-generation digital infrastructure in humanitarian settings.
“We know breakthrough solutions already exist—what’s missing is the path to scale in humanitarian contexts,” said Dr. Jeannie Annan, Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation at the IRC and head of the Airbel Impact Lab.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications operator, recorded a historic surge in network disruptions in 2025, suffering 9,218 fibre cuts as of December 31, alongside 211 base station sites affected by theft and vandalism, incidents that disrupted mobile and data services relied upon daily by millions of Nigerians.
The data was revealed by Dr Karl Toriola, chief executive officer/managing director, MTN Nigeria via a social media post titled ‘MTN Nigeria 2025 Wrapped’.
The scale of the damage highlights the growing vulnerability of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure, which has come under increasing pressure from road construction activities, cable theft and deliberate acts of vandalism.
MTN said 5,478 fibre cuts occurred within just the first seven months of 2025, with 760 incidents recorded in July alone, underscoring the intensity of the challenge.
Some of the incidents had wide-ranging consequences, knocking out connectivity across multiple states simultaneously and affecting voice calls, data services, digital payments and enterprise operations.
The company described the situation as a national infrastructure problem, rather than an isolated corporate issue, given the economy’s deep dependence on mobile networks.
“These gaps were shaped by real operational challenges such as fibre cuts, theft, and vandalism. Their impact is felt directly by customers and reflected in what they tell us,” Toriola,
The disruptions were reflected in customer feedback volumes, as MTN handled an unprecedented number of complaints during the year. The operator said it resolved 1,624,263 customer complaints in 2025, spanning call centres, social media platforms, emails and physical service centres nationwide.
Despite the setbacks, MTN pointed to signs of operational resilience. The company retained its ranking as Nigeria’s best network by Ookla, returned to profitability after a challenging period, declared an interim dividend, and expanded its subscriber base to over 85 million users by September 2025.
The figures show that while Nigeria’s telecom operators continue to invest heavily in network expansion and customer service, infrastructure sabotage remains a major drag on service quality and operating costs.
MTN acknowledged that performance improvements remain a work in progress. “We are not where we want to be yet. We see you. We hear you. We exist because of you. And we will get better,” Toriola said.
As the company enters its 25th year of operations in Nigeria, Toriola said MTN is doubling down on customer-centricity, treating every piece of feedback as a guide for improvement, while also stepping up engagement with government agencies.
The CEO renewed calls for stronger regulatory and legal protections for telecommunications infrastructure, urging policymakers to classify fibre cables, base stations and other critical assets as national infrastructure and criminalise vandalism to deter repeat attacks.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), effective January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231 from 225 recorded in December 2025.
NCC
The newly licensed firms are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Five of these companies are headquartered in Lagos, while Granet Technologies Limited operates from Owerri in Imo State, highlighting the persistent concentration of broadband infrastructure in major commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
This development intensifies competition in Nigeria’s broadband market, which faces pressure from dominant mobile network operators such as MTN and Airtel, alongside rapid expansion by satellite providers like Starlink.
Traditional ISPs continue to grapple with shrinking customer bases, aggressive data pricing from telcos, and satellite disruptions, even as NCC data from Q2 2025 showed Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlling about 65 per cent of the 313,713 active ISP subscribers.
The inclusion of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited marks a significant entry of global satellite broadband competition, building on Nigeria’s recent approvals for other low Earth orbit providers to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.
Industry analysts view the licences as a strategic push to improve internet quality amid rising demand for digital services, though geographic clustering underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges outside urban centres.
NCC’s move aligns with broader efforts to foster a competitive telecoms sector critical to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
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