Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening digital infrastructure resilience following its participation in the 2nd International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Submarine Cable Resilience Summit held in Porto, Portugal, from February 2 to 3, 2026.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, represented Nigeria at the high-level gathering, which brought together global policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders to address the growing importance of safeguarding submarine cable systems.
The summit, convened by the International Telecommunication Union, focused on improving the resilience of undersea cable networks that carry over 95 percent of international data traffic. Discussions centered on risk mitigation, rapid repair mechanisms, cross-border coordination, and infrastructure redundancy to prevent large-scale connectivity disruptions.
From Nigeria’s perspective, submarine cable protection remains critical to sustaining broadband expansion, financial services, cloud adoption, and the broader digital economy agenda. With multiple international cable systems landing along Nigeria’s coastline, the country serves as a key connectivity hub for West Africa.
Dr. Tijani highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure, enhance regulatory frameworks, and collaborate with global partners to ensure network reliability and security. Participation in the summit aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy to position Nigeria as a leading digital economy in Africa.
Stakeholders note that as Nigeria deepens its reliance on digital services, proactive engagement in global resilience discussions will be essential to protecting national connectivity and economic stability.