NCC, REA Partner to Expand Digital Infrastructure Through Renewable Energy
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating the deployment of sustainable digital infrastructure across Nigeria by integrating renewable energy solutions with telecommunications infrastructure.
The agreement was formalised during the NCC–REA Stakeholder Workshop held at the NCC Annex Office Auditorium in Mbora, Abuja. The workshop, themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria,” brought together key players from government, the telecommunications industry, renewable energy sector, development partners and financial institutions to discuss strategies for expanding connectivity through sustainable energy.
A statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, said the partnership marks a significant step towards achieving the Federal Government’s digital economy and rural development objectives through improved collaboration between the two agencies.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, described the partnership as a major milestone in advancing inclusive digital connectivity and energy access across the country.
Oshadami said reliable electricity and digital connectivity are complementary pillars of economic development, noting that communities without stable power cannot sustain telecommunications infrastructure, while those without connectivity are unable to maximise the benefits of electrification.
He explained that the MoU establishes a framework for aligning telecommunications and rural electrification programmes through coordinated planning, infrastructure sharing and the deployment of renewable energy solutions.
According to him, the REA will provide geospatial data on existing and planned electrification projects, while the NCC will share information on Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) projects to enable both agencies identify connectivity and energy gaps for coordinated interventions.
He added that the partnership would also explore powering telecom infrastructure, including base stations and fibre repeater sites, through REA’s off-grid renewable energy projects, while encouraging the co-location of telecommunications facilities on REA-developed energy infrastructure where technically feasible.
“The initiative will reduce deployment costs, improve operational efficiency and accelerate connectivity in underserved communities,” Oshadami said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, said Nigeria’s digital economy depends on reliable energy infrastructure.
He noted that renewable energy mini-grids offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to diesel-powered telecommunications sites, adding that the collaboration would create commercially viable opportunities for telecom operators and renewable energy developers.
“Reliable power and universal connectivity are not competing priorities. They are the same priority, approached from two directions. Where we deliver them together, the cost of each falls and the reach of both extends,” he said.
The workshop featured presentations by the NCC–REA Collaboration Committee on geospatial analysis, pilot project opportunities and implementation strategies, as well as panel discussions on financing models, regulatory issues and infrastructure planning.
Oshadami urged stakeholders to move beyond expressions of support by developing practical financing mechanisms, commercial models and regulatory frameworks that would enable the initiative to achieve large-scale implementation.
According to Ukoha, the collaboration is expected to improve infrastructure planning, expand broadband connectivity, promote renewable energy adoption in telecommunications networks and deliver resilient, scalable and sustainable digital infrastructure that will drive socio-economic development across Nigeria.
Cover Photo Caption: L-R: Mr. Kashim Ibrahim, Director, Legal Services, Rural Electrification Agency, REA; Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, Executive Director Technical Services, REA; Engr. Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner Technical Services Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Mr Gwa Tobbie Mohammed, Director, Commission Secretariat, NCC, during the NCC-REA Stakeholders’ Forum and MoU Signing Ceremony, on the 24th of July 2026, at the Commission’s Annex Mbora Abuja
