CEO Remains Bullish About Nigeria Market Comeback to Fill Innovation Gaps

 CEO Remains Bullish About

Nigeria Market Comeback to

Fill Innovation Gaps

Lagos, Nigeria — [october 30, 2025] —

Mr. Soji Maurice-Diya, Chief Executive

officer of NatCom Development &Inves-

tment Limited (trading as ntel), says the

company remains bullish about its mar-

ket comeback in Q1 2026,unveiling a

renewed strategy to fill what he desc-

ribes as “ innovation gaps” in Nigeria’s

telecoms ecosystem.

Speaking during the Technology Times

Thought Leadership Series, a quarterly

platform powered by Digital

Transformation Media Limited ( DTML),

publishers of Technology Times and

eGovernance Nigeria Magazine, the ntel

CEoshared his company’s renewed vis-

ion to re-enter Nigeria’s highly compe-

titive telecoms market through an

infrastructure-light model anchored on

innovation, broadband inclusion, and

youth-focused digital engagement.

“We think that there’s a lot of innovation

that’s yet to happen in this space,”

Maurice-Diya said. “With all due respect

to our partners and competitors in the

ecosystem, we don’t think there’s been

nearly enough innovation in the lastfew

years ”

According to him, ntel’s return will not

seek to replicate existing market models,

but to target niche segments ofNigerian

consumers through products that deliver

distinctive value propositions.

“ For us to go and play in the 100 million

subscriber game, that’s not what we’ re

about,” he stated. “We’ re about tofind a

very small subset of subscribers, and

serve them extremely well. We think the

future will kind of take care ofitself if we’

re able to do that very well ”

Reimagining the Role of Telecoms in

Nigeria

Maurice-Diya said ntel’s return reflects a

broader belief that the Nigerian telecoms

industry still holds enormousuntapped

potential for innovation and cross-sector

value creation.

He noted that while the industry has

matured over the last 25 years—beco-

ming a key enabler of Nigeria’s

economy—fresh ideas are still required

to drive its next phase of evolution.

“ Most of us are aware that the telecoms

industry in Nigeria, as we know it today,

started almost 25 years ago,” hesaid. “ It

has witnessed significant and impactful

growth, particularly in supporting Nigeria’

s broader commercialecosystem. over

the last 25 years, one would argue that

the sector has become a mature market

and there’s a lotmore stability He commended long-standing operators

like MTN, Airtel, and Glo for demons-

trating long-term commitment to the

market, adding that their continued inve-

stments have strengthened the industry’

s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP.

However, he argued that the next cha-

pter of the Nigerian telecoms story must

see operators evolving beyondproviding

connectivity, toward becoming digital

platforms that enable and unlock new

opportunities across othersectors.

“Telcos have to be able to play more than

just a communication or connectivity role

and become a digital platformthat can

enable and unlock a lot of additional opp-

ortunities,” he said.

Policy Synergy and Market Evolution

On the policy front, the ntel CEO praised

ongoing reforms driven by the Federal

Ministry of Communications,Innovation

and Digital Economy, especially the tariff

relief measures introduced between late

2024 and early 2025.He said these inte-

rventions have created “a bit more justif-

ication for further investment in the ind-

ustry ”

Maurice-Diya emphasised the need for

stronger synergy between the communi-

cations and financial sectors, whichhe

described as critical to the long-term

sustainability of Nigeria’s digital eco-

nomy.

“There needs to be more synergy bet

-

ween the communications ecosystem

and the financial sector,” he said. “To the

extent possible that there is a bit more

closer working relationship between both

ecosystems to birth what I think isthe

next chapter that can help define the

broader ecosystem in the next 25 years ”

He added that dynamic pricing, tax incen-

tives, and sustainability-driven infrast-

ructure policies will remain central to

improving industry competitiveness.

“ Dynamic pricing and allowing a bit more

flexibility in the tariff regime might be

one,” he explained. “ In addition to itthere

are tax incentives. Again, I think the gove-

rnment has played a role in creating

some reduction in tax-based taxesaro-

und withholding tax. A little bit more can

be done there ”

Supporting National Connectivity Goals

The ntel CEO commended the Federal

Government’s rural broadband initiatives,

particularly the planned deploymentof 7,

000 telecom towers and 90,000 kilom-

etres of fibre optic infrastructure over the

next five years.

“ I think those

, while they

’ re not neces

-

sarily policy interventions, are welcome

interventions that will help,” he said.“We

at ntel will play a role not only by suppo-

rting the ecosystem but also creating a

couple of interesting products “ Investors are savvy and unemotional

about where their investments go,” he

said. “ Ultimately, investors want to be

able to put their capital in a place that

they’ re reasonably assured of their ability

to take it out ”

He urged government to tie tax incen-

tives to long-term capital commitments

and ensure a fairer value-sharingfor-

mula across interconnected industries

such as financial services, education, and

logistics.

“ FX stability and some tax incentives 

… I

think the government could go a bit fur-

ther in protecting long-terminvestments

and actually tying targets or long-term

investments to additional incentives,” he

said.

ntel’s Comeback Strategy: A Digital Play

Reflecting on ntel’s legacy, Maurice-Diya

said the company—originally Nigeria’s

government-owned first nationaloper-

ator NITEL, which transitioned to ntel in

2015—had achieved commendable mil-

estones before pausing

operations in recent years. Its Q1 2026

comeback, he revealed, will leverage an

infrastructure-light,innovation-driven

business model focused on digital exper-

iences.

“ In coming back

, we

’ re exploring a very

,

very light digital play,” he said. “our view

is that there is still a role to beplayed by

the likes of ourselves to innovate, to cre-

ate very niche products that meet the

needs of a teeming andyoung popul-

ation ”

The CEo said ntel’s renewed focus will be

on youth engagement and digital incl-

usion, reflecting Nigeria’sdemographic

advantage as one of the world’s youn-

gest populations.

“ Between three and four million Nige

-

rians turn 18 every year, and we think

that’s an opportunity,” he said. “ If we’ re

able to tap into that, we can deepen our

penetration, offer services that speak to

their needs, and ultimately growwith

them ”

Defining Legacy Through Innovation

Asked about his long-term vision for ntel’

s legacy, Maurice-Diya said the company’

s goal is to create differentiatedservices

that not only stand out in the marke-

tplace but also make lasting social and

economic impact.

“our legacy is that in 10

, 15, 20 years,

we’ ll be able to say that we’ve provided

services that have truly d“ Investors are savvy and unemotional

about where their investments go,” he

said. “ Ultimately, investors want to be

able to put their capital in a place that

they’ re reasonably assured of their ability

to take it out ”

He urged government to tie tax incen-

tives to long-term capital commitments

and ensure a fairer value-sharingfor-

mula across interconnected industries

such as financial services, education, and

logistics.

“ FX stability and some tax incentives 

… I

think the government could go a bit fur-

ther in protecting long-terminvestments

and actually tying targets or long-term

investments to additional incentives,” he

said.

ntel’s Comeback Strategy: A Digital Play

Reflecting on ntel’s legacy, Maurice-Diya

said the company—originally Nigeria’s

government-owned first nationaloper-

ator NITEL, which transitioned to ntel in

2015—had achieved commendable mil-

estones before pausing

operations in recent years. Its Q1 2026

comeback, he revealed, will leverage an

infrastructure-light,innovation-driven

business model focused on digital exper-

iences.

“ In coming back

, we

’ re exploring a very

,

very light digital play,” he said. “our view

is that there is still a role to beplayed by

the likes of ourselves to innovate, to cre-

ate very niche products that meet the

needs of a teeming andyoung popul-

ation ”

The CEo said ntel’s renewed focus will be

on youth engagement and digital incl-

usion, reflecting Nigeria’sdemographic

advantage as one of the world’s youn-

gest populations.

“ Between three and four million Nige

-

rians turn 18 every year, and we think

that’s an opportunity,” he said. “ If we’ re

able to tap into that, we can deepen our

penetration, offer services that speak to

their needs, and ultimately growwith

them ”

Defining Legacy Through Innovation

Asked about his long-term vision for ntel’

s legacy, Maurice-Diya said the company’

s goal is to create differentiatedservices

that not only stand out in the marke-

tplace but also make lasting social and

economic impact.

“our legacy is that in 10

, 15, 20 years,

we’ ll be able to say that we’ve provided

services that have truly differentiated

ourselves in the marketplace but also

made an impact,” he said.

He added that ntel plans to leverage its

legacy infrastructure while investing in

digital innovation to empower millionsof

Nigerians and strengthen collaboration

across the telecoms value chain.

“We’ve also played a role in being a par

-

tner to the rest of the ecosystem, suppo-

rting everybody else to make surethat

the industry continues to be sustainable,”

he said.

Creating a Level Playing Field

on the broader telecoms market envir-

onment, the ntel boss stressed the impo-

rtance of a fair and competitiveecos-

ystem that encourages participation by

new entrants.

“The first thing is a fair playing ground for

all players,” Maurice-Diya said. “The eco-

system has to be able to see thatthere

aren’t any preferential treatments being

handed out to different players. The mar-

ket is big enough to sustain amultiplicity

of players, and we hope to be able to play

in that role ”

He encouraged continued market liberal-

isation and pro-innovation regulation,

which he believes will be critical tomain-

taining Nigeria’s regional and global

competitiveness over the next decade.

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