The Federal Government plans to provide internet access to 20 million Nigerians through the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat), the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced. Represented by Ajala Olubumi of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Tijani disclosed this during a stakeholder engagement roundtable hosted by digital telemedicine provider MySmartMedic.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to expand broadband penetration and drive adoption of digital health platforms. NigComSat recently unveiled a plan to generate N8 billion within three years by extending satellite-based connectivity services nationwide.
Olubumi stressed that widespread connectivity remains crucial to unlocking the value of telemedicine, noting that millions of Nigerians currently lack basic internet access. Leveraging NigComSat, he said, will enable coverage in underserved and remote regions.
Also speaking at the event, National Data Protection Commission CEO Dr. Vincent Olatunji urged healthcare providers to embed privacy compliance directly into system design. Represented by Barr. Alexander Onwe, he warned that as digital health tools expand, strong data-protection measures must accompany telemedicine, remote monitoring and AI-enabled diagnostics to prevent privacy breaches and misuse of medical information.
Onwe emphasized that the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 requires platforms to obtain clear user consent, collect only essential medical data, and observe strict retention limits. He added that cross-border processing in telemedicine may require NDPC-approved safeguards.
MySmartMedic founder Dr. Chuks Ekweme described telemedicine as necessary to close healthcare access gaps, particularly with Nigeria facing a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:4,000. He said enabling remote consultation could ease medical strain and improve outreach in underserved communities.
