More than 23 million Nigerians remain offline as stakeholders across the telecommunications, technology and infrastructure sectors prepare to converge in Lagos for the second edition of the Rural Connectivity Summit to examine the barriers to wider connectivity and explore practical ways to reach underserved communities.

Organised by Business Metrics Limited (BML), the Summit will be held on Tuesday, 13 October at Providence Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, under the theme “Rural Inclusion at Scale: Connecting the Next 25 Million Users for Frontier Market Growth.”

According to the organisers, key government agencies driving Nigeria’s connectivity and digital inclusion agenda have keyed into the summit, bringing their perspectives to a wider stakeholder conversation on practical pathways for connecting the next 25 million Nigerians and opening new markets in underserved communities.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, will deliver the keynote address, while the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Ibrahim Adeyanju a professor; the MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu; and the MD/CEO of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Jane Egerton-Idehen an engineer, will lead high-level engagements.

According to the Team Lead at BML and Convener of the Summit, Omobayo Azeez, the event will examine the business value of Nigeria’s unconnected population and innovative models for last-mile deployment, alongside infrastructure sharing, investment partnerships and financing options for rural broadband expansion.

He noted that discussions will also explore the role of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), government rural connectivity initiatives, digital inclusion across financial services, education and healthcare, satellite investment, and policy and regulatory frameworks for accelerating connectivity.

The Summit, he said, will further examine how stakeholders can build sustainable digital ecosystems and expand markets for operators, turning wider connectivity into greater economic opportunities for Nigerians.

Nigeria’s widening connectivity gap

The urgency of the conversation is underscored by the number of Nigerians still outside meaningful connectivity. Industry estimates put the population without access at more than 23 million, while millions more remain in communities where connectivity is limited or inadequate.

The quality of available connections also highlights the gap. NCC industry statistics show that 2G still accounted for 36.54 per cent of mobile-generation market share in July 2026, even as 4G and 5G adoption gained traction in urban centres. The figures point to a significant divide between communities yet to gain reliable access and urban centres where higher-capacity networks are increasingly available.

The challenge is coming at a time of major public investment in connectivity. Through Project BRIDGE, the Federal Government is targeting at least 90,000 kilometres of fibre infrastructure across the country, while the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP) is designed to deploy 3,700 communications sites to provide broadband and other digital services in underserved and unserved communities.

Project BRIDGE has identified more than 33 million Nigerians as still offline, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the country.

Connecting the next 25 million Nigerians

Against this backdrop, the Rural Connectivity Summit 2.0, building on the maiden edition held in 2025, is designed to bring government, industry and investors together to address the infrastructure, investment, policy and commercial questions that continue to limit wider connectivity.

Mr Azeez said the next phase of Nigeria’s digital agenda must focus on extending the benefits of connectivity beyond communities that are already well served.

“Nigeria has shown that connectivity drives usage and economic activity. The next task is to take that opportunity to the millions still outside the connected economy.”

He said the next 25 million users should also be viewed through the lens of economic opportunity.

“The next 25 million are not just a connectivity gap. They are a new market and a catalyst for economic development. Connecting them will require investment, infrastructure, power, technology and commercially sustainable models.”

The 2026 Summit will bring together senior government officials, telecom operators, infrastructure providers, technology companies, investors, development partners, regulators and industry thought leaders to examine how these challenges can be converted into practical opportunities for wider digital inclusion.