Nigeria’s Bosun Tijani Withdraws From ITU Deputy Secretary-General Race
Tijani announced the decision in a statement, saying that while the ITU position presented an attractive opportunity for both him and Nigeria, he believes his most consequential contribution at this time is to continue working on key digital projects at home.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy , Dr. Bosun Tijani, has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) , choosing instead to remain focused on Nigeria’s ongoing digital transformation agenda.
Tijani announced the decision in a statement, saying that while the ITU position presented an attractive opportunity for both him and Nigeria, he believes his most consequential contribution at this time is to continue working on key digital projects at home.
He noted that securing the position would have offered Nigeria the prospect of having one of its citizens serve as an elected ITU official for the first time in the organisation’s 160-year history.
However, Tijani said Nigeria currently has an opportunity to implement several major digital infrastructure and transformation programmes under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Among the projects he highlighted is Project BRIDGE, which is expected to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre infrastructure across Nigeria. He also pointed to NUCAP, a connectivity programme designed to extend mobile services to millions of people in underserved and unserved communities through the deployment of thousands of new telecommunications towers.
Other initiatives include plans for two new communications satellites aimed at expanding coverage and strengthening national resilience, as well as the development of a national alphanumeric postcode system intended to provide homes and businesses with precise digital addresses.
Tijani also highlighted the Nigeria Web Design Standards, which are designed to improve consistency, accessibility and citizen-centred delivery across government digital services.
The minister said the successful implementation of these initiatives would contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy and deliver long-term benefits to citizens. He also noted that the programmes align with the ITU’s broader mission of promoting universal, meaningful and inclusive connectivity.
Tijani said his focus will therefore remain on supporting President Tinubu’s digital economy agenda and ensuring that the government’s major technology and connectivity programmes deliver lasting value to Nigerians.
