Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications and technology sectors have proposed the establishment of a National Telecom Sustainability Index to measure the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of operators and provide a common framework for assessing sustainability in the industry.

The proposal was presented on Thursday at the Telecoms and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) Stakeholder Strategy Breakfast in Abuja, where industry stakeholders reviewed a draft sustainability framework for the telecommunications and technology sectors.

The engagement, themed “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Telecommunications and Technology in Nigeria: A Shared Vision for 2027–2032,” brought together representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), telecommunications and technology companies, sustainability professionals and other industry stakeholders.

Presenting the proposed index, a TTSWG board member, Chris Uwaje, said the framework was designed to reflect Nigeria’s unique telecommunications environment while aligning the sector with internationally recognised sustainability reporting practices.

He said the proposed index would be structured around five major pillars: Environment and Energy; Digital Inclusion and Affordability; Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust; Infrastructure Resilience and Governance; and Supply Chain and Local Value Creation.

Under the Environment and Energy pillar, the proposed metrics would assess areas including energy sources, dependence on diesel, greenhouse gas emissions and electronic waste management.

The Digital Inclusion and Affordability pillar would focus on network coverage, penetration, affordability and equitable access to digital services.

The Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust pillar would cover data protection, fraud, consumer complaints and service quality.

The Infrastructure Resilience and Governance pillar would assess challenges including vandalism, theft, fibre cuts, network restoration, right-of-way, regulatory compliance and IPv6 readiness.

The fifth pillar, Supply Chain and Local Value Creation, would focus on Nigeria-specific issues such as local content, local currency financing, decent work and job creation.

Uwaje said the proposed metrics could also help improve investor confidence, particularly as sustainability-linked financing increasingly requires companies to demonstrate measurable ESG performance.

“An investor relies on a market that builds confidence and has the metrics to measure,” he said.

The proposal comes amid the continued expansion of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and connectivity, with the telecommunications sector facing growing demands for reliable networks, energy efficiency, responsible equipment management and wider digital access.

The draft framework also identifies infrastructure resilience as a major sustainability concern, particularly in relation to fibre cuts, vandalism, theft and the restoration of damaged telecommunications infrastructure.

Chairman of the TTSWG Board, Abdu-Waya Mohammed, said the proposed strategy was developed in response to challenges affecting the sector, including rising energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, electronic waste, inadequate digital inclusion and the need for stronger governance structures.

According to him, the proposed implementation strategy would prioritise renewable energy, digital inclusion, social progress, governance, innovation and the development of sustainability metrics specifically tailored to the telecommunications industry.

Mohammed, however, stressed that the framework remained a draft and that stakeholders were expected to provide input before its implementation structure is finalised.

“This is a stakeholder engagement. Whatever we are presenting today is a draft from the Secretariat, and we expect feedback from participants to further sharpen the way forward for the implementation of the strategy that we are proposing,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, Bankole Oloruntoba, described the TTSWG as a multi-stakeholder platform established to promote sustainable practices across Nigeria’s telecommunications and technology ecosystem.

Oloruntoba identified ESG integration, accountability, innovation, energy efficiency, digital inclusion, electronic waste management, gender inclusion and policy advocacy as key areas of focus.

He also linked stronger sustainability reporting to access to international financing, noting that some global funding structures require standards that many organisations in Nigeria may not yet fully meet.

“Some of the global financing structures have requirements that many organisations may not yet meet here in Nigeria,” he said.

Under the proposal, the index would use weighted scores across the five pillars to produce a composite assessment of sustainability performance, with performance bands ranging from “leading” to “lagging.”

However, Uwaje clarified that the proposed framework had not been adopted by the NCC and remained subject to stakeholder review.

Representing the NCC, the Director of the Digital Economy Department, Helen Obi, said the proposal would require formal submission and detailed consideration by the Commission before it could take a position.

Obi disclosed that the TTSWG and representatives of IHS had previously engaged the Commission on possible areas of collaboration but had yet to submit the required formal documentation.

“We would still request or require that the documentation be sent to us formally, so that we could review in detail and then give feedback as a Commission,” she said.

She added that several areas covered by the proposed index were already aligned with ongoing NCC initiatives, particularly connectivity, digital inclusion, local device manufacturing, digital skills development and support for underserved communities.

According to her, the Commission is also working with sub-national governments to strengthen connectivity and build more resilient digital infrastructure as part of efforts to deepen Nigeria’s digital economy.

Three-Year Implementation Plan

The proposed strategy envisages a three-year implementation process.

During the first year, a pilot phase would test core indicators with major mobile network operators and leading tower companies. The phase would also involve 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, alongside expanded reporting by major operators and the development of an internal sector sustainability baseline.

By the third year, the proposal envisages the publication of an annual Nigerian Telecom Sector Sustainability Report, expansion of the index and independent assurance of reported data.

The stakeholders said successful implementation would require collaboration among regulators, telecommunications operators, technology companies, financial institutions, government agencies, academic institutions, development partners and civil society organisations.

The proposed index will now undergo further stakeholder consultations and formal engagement with the NCC before its indicators, reporting requirements and implementation structure can be finalised.