Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nigeria’s telecommunications and technology stakeholders have proposed a National Telecom Sustainability Index to provide a common framework for measuring the industry’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
The proposal was presented at the Telecoms and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) Stakeholder Strategy Breakfast in Abuja on Thursday, September 17, 2026, where industry representatives reviewed a draft sustainability framework covering the proposed 2027–2032 period.
The initiative brings together concerns that increasingly affect Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, including energy consumption, electronic waste, digital affordability, data privacy, infrastructure security, service quality and local value creation.
Five pillars proposed for the telecom sustainability index
According to the framework presented by TTSWG board member Chris Uwaje, the proposed index would assess telecom sustainability across five broad pillars.
They are Environment and Energy; Digital Inclusion and Affordability; Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust; Infrastructure Resilience and Governance; and Supply Chain and Local Value Creation.
The Environment and Energy pillar would examine issues such as the energy mix used by telecommunications operators, dependence on diesel-powered infrastructure, emissions and electronic waste management.
Digital Inclusion and Affordability would focus on network coverage, broadband and internet penetration, affordability and equitable access to telecommunications services.
The Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust pillar would cover areas including data protection, fraud prevention, consumer complaints and quality of service.
Infrastructure Resilience and Governance would examine issues such as vandalism, fibre cuts, theft of telecommunications equipment, network restoration, right-of-way compliance and IPv6 readiness.
The fifth pillar would address Nigeria-specific economic and social issues, including local content, local-currency financing, decent work and employment creation.
Stakeholders link sustainability to investment
Uwaje said the proposed framework is intended to connect Nigeria’s telecommunications environment with internationally recognised sustainability reporting practices.
He also argued that measurable sustainability performance could improve investor confidence as environmental, social and governance considerations increasingly feature in financing decisions.
The proposal is consistent with a wider global telecommunications trend towards measuring operators’ sustainability performance through structured indicators.
The Boston Consulting Group, for example, has developed a global Telco Sustainability Index examining areas including sustainability commitments, emissions and energy intensity, circular economy and resource management, customer enablement and biodiversity.
However, Nigeria’s proposed index would be designed around the specific operating conditions and development priorities of the country’s telecommunications market.
Energy remains a major sustainability issue
Energy consumption is particularly important for Nigeria’s telecommunications industry because network operators and infrastructure providers require reliable power to maintain base stations and other critical facilities.
In July 2026, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Rural Electrification Agency signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at deploying renewable-energy solutions for telecommunications infrastructure in rural and underserved communities.
The initiative is intended, among other objectives, to reduce dependence on diesel-powered base stations while improving network availability through renewable-energy and mini-grid solutions.
The NCC has also publicly linked sustainability in telecommunications with renewable energy, energy-efficient infrastructure and responsible electronic-waste management.
These developments illustrate why energy efficiency and emissions are among the proposed index’s key measurements.
Digital inclusion forms another major component
The proposed framework also places significant emphasis on whether Nigerians can access telecommunications services affordably and equitably.
The NCC has continued to pursue initiatives aimed at expanding digital access. In July, the Commission began consultations on a framework for zero-rated access to approved educational platforms and content, with the stated objective of reducing data-cost barriers for students, teachers and researchers.
The Commission has also supported initiatives focused on accessible technology for underserved communities, including its 2026 hackathon, which featured solutions designed to expand digital participation for persons with disabilities and other underserved groups.
For the proposed sustainability index, such issues would move beyond simply measuring the size of telecommunications networks to examining how effectively those networks serve different segments of the population.
Infrastructure resilience included in proposed measurements
The framework also identifies network resilience as a sustainability concern.
Fibre cuts, vandalism and theft can interrupt communications services and increase the cost of maintaining telecommunications infrastructure.
Recent NCC incident records have documented fibre cuts and vandalism affecting data services in parts of Abuja and Lagos.
The NCC’s broader industry discussions have likewise identified infrastructure protection and network resilience as important issues for the continued development of Nigeria’s digital economy.
In June, the Commission’s board noted infrastructure vandalism as a major challenge and discussed stronger collaboration to protect telecommunications facilities designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure.
Including such issues in a sustainability framework would therefore broaden the meaning of sustainability beyond environmental concerns to include the ability of networks to remain reliable and resilient.
Privacy and consumer trust also part of the framework
The proposed index would measure digital integrity, privacy and consumer trust, reflecting the growing importance of responsible data management in the telecommunications industry.
The NCC has said data protection and privacy are fundamental to consumer trust and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Commission has also emphasised that telecommunications providers must handle consumer information, including call records, location data and digital identities, in compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
The inclusion of these issues in a sector-wide sustainability measurement could provide a broader way of assessing the social and governance responsibilities of telecommunications operators.
NCC says proposal is still under review
Despite the involvement of NCC representatives in the stakeholder discussions, the proposed National Telecom Sustainability Index has not been adopted by the Commission.
Uwaje clarified that the framework remains a draft and is still undergoing stakeholder consultation.
Representing the NCC, Director of the Digital Economy Department Helen Obi said the proposal would require formal submission to the Commission for detailed review before the regulator could provide its position.
Obi said several issues contained in the proposal already align with areas covered by ongoing NCC initiatives, including connectivity, digital inclusion, local device manufacturing, digital skills and support for underserved communities.
The distinction is important because the proposed index currently represents a stakeholder framework rather than an established regulatory requirement for telecommunications operators.
Three-year implementation plan proposed
The draft strategy outlines a three-year implementation process if the framework is eventually adopted.
The first year would focus on a pilot programme involving major mobile network operators and leading tower companies. It would include testing core indicators, refining definitions and reporting templates, developing a reporting module and establishing an IPv6 baseline.
The second year would introduce a core reporting system for qualifying licensees and expand reporting among major operators while establishing an industry baseline.
By the third year, the proposal envisages publication of an annual Nigerian telecom sector sustainability report, expansion of the index and independent assurance of reported data.
The proposed system would use weighted measurements across the five pillars to produce a composite sustainability assessment.
What the proposal could mean for Nigeria’s telecom sector
If eventually adopted, the index could give regulators, operators, investors and other stakeholders a common framework for assessing sustainability performance across the telecommunications sector.
It could also make it easier to track progress in areas that are increasingly connected to the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital economy, including energy efficiency, network resilience, affordable connectivity, responsible data management and local economic participation.
However, the effectiveness of such a system would depend on the quality of its indicators, the reliability of reported data, consistent participation by operators and an appropriate verification mechanism.
For now, the proposal remains subject to further consultation and formal engagement with the NCC.
The stakeholders are expected to continue refining the indicators, reporting requirements and implementation arrangements before any final framework is presented for regulatory consideration.
Why the development matters
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is increasingly central to economic activity, public services, education and digital commerce. The sustainability of that infrastructure therefore involves more than environmental performance alone.
A national measurement framework could potentially bring environmental responsibility, digital inclusion, consumer protection, infrastructure resilience and local economic development into a single assessment system.
But the proposed index has not yet become a regulatory requirement. Its next stage will depend on stakeholder feedback, formal submission to the NCC and the Commission’s subsequent review.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
- The PUNCH
- Voice of Nigeria (VON)
- TechEconomy
