At a time when network connectivity locally was wobbling, Nigeria recentlyjoined the rest of the world in formulating a roadmap to ensure globalconnectivity.
Rising after 11 days of deliberations at the World TelecommunicationsDevelopment Conference (WTDC 25) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the country’srepresentative, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), signed to ensurethat digital benefits get to its population.
Of the 2.2billion global population that is offline, no fewer than 23 millionreside in Nigeria, located in underserved and unserved communities across thecountry. ITU plans to bridge this divide by 2030 as part of the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs).
Universal, meaningful connectivity at the centre of global strategy forhuman-centred digital development was the fulcrum of WTDC 25.
Indeed, Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)agreed on a roadmap to bring connectivity to everyone around the world as theWorld Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25) closed in Baku,Azerbaijan, on November 28, 202.
“The Baku Action Plan agreed at WTDC-25 sets the agenda for human-centreddigital development driven by telecommunications and information andcommunication technologies with focus on the needs of developing countries,underserved communities and vulnerable populations, according to ITU documents.
It states that “with an estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide still offline,the four-year plan spanning 2026 to 2029 supports efforts to advance universal,meaningful and affordable digital connectivity for an inclusive and sustainabledigital future.
“As conveyed to the WTDC-25 Opening Ceremony on behalf of the President of theRepublic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Baku became the place where Member Statesand partners agreed on practical outcomes to guide ITU’s development work forthe next four years,” said Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s Minister ofDigital Development and Transport. “Working alongside our partners,Azerbaijan has contributed to shaping these outcomes. The adoption of the BakuDeclaration, which includes a reference to the COP29 Declaration on GreenDigital Action, reflects our shared commitment to an inclusive and sustainabledigital future.”
The Baku Action Plan, the principal outcome document of WTDC-25, includes newand revised resolutions to guide ITU’s digital development work,recommendations for ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D), and newinitiatives addressing key digital development priorities in ITU-D regions. Theplan also sets out new and revised questions on issues to be addressed byexpert ITU-D study groups.
“The outcomes of WTDC-25, contained in the Baku Action Plan, reflect the needs,priorities and aspirations of our membership in a forward-looking andresults-oriented agenda for digital development and impact,” said CosmasLuckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Bureau of Telecommunication Development.
“The Plan outlines the roadmap of action to bridge the remaining digitaldivides, while addressing the unique needs of Least Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. We lookforward to delivering tangible results and accelerating digital transformationby working with governments and regulators to create an enabling policy andregulatory framework that paves the way for the industry and private sector toinvest and contribute to our efforts to close infrastructural gaps so we mayachieve meaningful connectivity and bring everyone online.
ITU documents state that “WTDC-25 has brought us closer to our goal of makingconnectivity universal, meaningful and affordable for everyone, everywhere inthis decade,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “The BakuDeclaration and Action Plan is our roadmap towards human-centred digitaldevelopment that leaves no one behind.”
Organised by the ITU and hosted in Baku by the Government of Azerbaijan, thetwo-week conference brought together over 2,000 participants representing 153Member States and the State of Palestine under Resolution 99. Broad globalrepresentation at WTDC helped ensure a wide consensus on the priorities andapproaches to extend the benefits of digital technology to all.
During the conference, ITU issued the Global Connectivity Report 2025, offeringrecommendations to accelerate progress toward universal and meaningfulconnectivity.
Based on ITU’s newly released Facts and Figures 2025 data, the GlobalConnectivity Report provides policy guidance, measurement frameworks anddetailed analysis across the key dimensions of universal and meaningfulconnectivity: quality, availability, affordability, devices, skills andsecurity.
A two-year project to enhance the sustainability of national Smart Villages andSmart Islands programmes in the Asia-Pacific region: This project withAustralia’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDCSA) will serve as a model to enhancedigital skills and access to digital services in rural and remote communities,directly benefitting seven countries and 3,000 people.
A project to promote capacity building and digital skills in the Commonwealthof Independent States (CIS) region: This project, with Intersputnik, willbenefit 300 professionals in the field of satellite communications andbroadcasting technologies.
A new partnership to strengthen gender-inclusive digital trade: This projectwith the Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority of Senegal willempower young women entrepreneurs in textile and food processing with digitaland soft skills to grow their businesses.
With digital divides mirroring economic development challenges, WTDC-25featured a High-Level Dialogue for Least Developed Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries, and Small Island Developing States, where countries inthose groups shared their plans to expand broadband coverage, advancepeople-centred sustainable development and ensure a secure future for all.
Back home, nearly a week ending December 12, 2025, poor and almost irredeemableservices were observed in parts of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital,Abuja.
The regulator stood tall in the situation, blaming poor logistics support ofdiesel supplies for the crisis.
A statement by the Head, Public Affairs, Mrs Nnnena Ukoha, explained why:
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is aware of the Quality ofService (QoS) challenges currently being experienced by telecommunicationssubscribers in parts of Abuja. We understand the inconvenience caused by theseservice disruptions and wish to reassure the public that the Commission,working with the relevant government agencies and affected operators, is takingdecisive steps to restore normal service levels as quickly as possible.
The challenges have largely resulted from a disruption in diesel supply to IHSNigeria Limited, the Colocation Provider responsible for powering the majorityof Airtel and MTN base stations in the affected areas. This interruption islinked to ongoing activities by the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association(NOGASA), which have impacted the delivery of diesel to criticaltelecommunications sites.
The Commission is taking proactive steps to facilitate dialogues between theimpacted service providers and other stakeholders to promptly resolve thediesel supply concerns that have negatively impacted service quality. We remaindedicated to effectively managing the situation and will keep the publicupdated on progress towards restoring full telecommunication services in Abuja.We thank telecommunications subscribers for their understanding and patienceduring this period and reaffirm our commitment to enabling high-quality service.
While it sounded very logical for the regulator to stand in for the embattledoperators, industry players think differently.
“The industry advocacy groups, especially the Association of LicensedTelecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), should have taken up theexplanation process, but since the NCC did that, well, we will take it as gospel, one industry player told this writer.
