The Federal Government plans to provide internet access to 20 million Nigerians through the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat), according to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
Speaking through the Director of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Ajala Olubumi, at a public–private sector stakeholders’ roundtable hosted by AI-powered telemedicine platform MySmartMedic and attended by Fintechinsights, the minister said improved connectivity is essential to unlocking Nigeria’s digital healthcare potential.
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This move comes shortly after NigComSat announced its target to generate N8 billion in revenue over the next three years by expanding broadband services nationwide.
Expanding Connectivity Through NigComSat
Olubumi noted that telemedicine solutions require reliable internet access to be effective and emphasized that millions of Nigerians still live in areas without connectivity.
“For technology like this to truly deliver transformation, we must have connectivity. And we still have about 20 million Nigerians that have no access at all to the internet,” he said.
He added that NigComSat’s satellite capability will help beam internet coverage to underserved locations, making Nigeria one of the few West African nations with its own communications satellite.
Data Protection in Digital Healthcare
The National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, represented by Barr. Alexander Onwe, urged Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and telemedicine providers to embed data protection into the architecture of their platforms.
Olatunji stressed that as digital healthcare rapidly expands through telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics, remote monitoring, and electronic medical records compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 is critical to safeguarding privacy and preventing data misuse.
He highlighted the need for:
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Explicit and informed patient consent
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Minimal and purpose-specific data collection
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Strict data retention policies
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NDPC-approved safeguards for cross-border data transfers
Telemedicine Adoption in Nigeria
Founder of MySmartMedic, Dr. Chuks Ekweme, said the platform aims to reduce healthcare access gaps by enabling doctors to consult remotely from anywhere.
He noted that telemedicine is vital in a country where one doctor serves an average of 4,000 patients—far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio.
Global Market Outlook
According to a 2023 report by Emergen Research, the global telemedicine market is expected to grow from $84 billion in 2022 to $450 billion by 2032, driven by:
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Shortage of healthcare professionals
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Advances in telecommunications
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Government support
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Surge in remote healthcare demand
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Growing smartphone penetration
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AI, IoT, big data, and virtual assistants
Experts, however, note that although Nigeria’s private sector delivers over 60% of healthcare services, access remains uneven, especially in rural and low-income communities.
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