The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, has disclosed plans to link communities in 774 local government areas across Nigeria to reliable connectivity before the end of 2026.
She stated this Monday in Abuja during her keynote address at a one-day media training for ICT reporters and editors at NIGCOMSAT Ground Control Station in Abuja.
“Our target for the end of next year is to have completed the entire 774 project by connecting all local government areas. Every Nigerian, regardless of location, deserves to be connected,” she said.
Represented by Executive Director, Technical Services, Abiodun Attah, said the training was organized to equip journalists with capacity to report satellite technology accurately.
She also disclosed that NIGCOMSAT has connected about 200 rural communities to the internet in the past eight months as part of efforts to bridge the country’s digital divide.
She said the organisation had been working with mobile network operators to extend basic connectivity to hard-to-reach communities across the country.
“Within the last eight or nine months, we’ve been able to connect about 200 communities on 2G and 3G technologies with some major mobile network operators.
“These are facts that we’ve been able to achieve,” she said.
The NIGCOMSAT boss stressed the importance of satellites as critical national assets, noting that beyond enabling internet connectivity, they underpin essential services such as education, healthcare, commerce, governance, and national security.
She drew attention to global conflicts where satellites played pivotal roles, warning that Nigeria must protect and expand its own satellite assets to avoid dependence on foreign powers.
“If we don’t have that critical national asset and protect it, we risk being cut off completely from communication,” she cautioned. Egerton-Idehen acknowledged the challenges facing the agency, including limited funding and equipment gaps, but said NIGCOMSAT was determined to work within its means to expand coverage.
She noted that in addition to the initial 200 communities, the next phase of rollout would target about 120 local governments before the end of this year. She urged the media to play a stronger role in shaping how Nigerians understand the value of satellite technology and its role in national development.”