Nigeria’s AI ambitions rest on fibre, power, network resilience, ALTON warns

Nigeria’s ability to harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence will depend less on algorithms and more on the strength and resilience of its telecommunications infrastructure, Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has warned.

Speaking at the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (WATISE) 4.0 in Lagos, Adebayo said the rapid rise of AI, cloud computing, fintech, machine learning and digital commerce is placing unprecedented demands on telecom networks, making investment in fibre connectivity, data capacity and network resilience a strategic national priority.

The summit, themed “The Resilient AI Fabric: Trust, Integrity and Sustainability in Next Generation Network Infrastructure,” brought together industry stakeholders to examine the infrastructure foundations required to support the next wave of digital innovation across Africa.

According to Adebayo, the global AI revolution is inseparable from communications infrastructure because advanced AI systems consume and process enormous volumes of data, requiring ultra-reliable connectivity, low latency and extensive fibre networks.

“The AI revolution is fundamentally dependent on communications infrastructure. Artificial intelligence requires enormous amounts of data. The more we talk about AI, the more we must recognise that data consumption will continue to grow,” he said.

His remarks come at a time when Nigeria is increasingly positioning itself as a regional digital economy hub, with policymakers and industry leaders pushing for greater AI adoption across sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, financial services and public administration.

However, Adebayo cautioned that the benefits of AI-driven transformation could remain elusive without sustained investment in the underlying infrastructure that enables data movement and digital services.

Industry analysts note that while much of the public conversation around AI focuses on software, models and applications, the real bottleneck in many emerging economies remains physical infrastructure. Data-intensive technologies require dense fibre networks, reliable power supply, resilient data centres and robust mobile broadband coverage.

As AI adoption accelerates globally, telecom operators are experiencing sharp increases in network traffic driven by video applications, cloud services, digital payments and enterprise workloads. The emergence of generative AI is expected to further intensify demand for bandwidth and computing resources.

Adebayo said future digital services, intelligent systems and remote applications would rely heavily on the quality and reliability of telecom infrastructure, making network resilience a key determinant of economic competitiveness.

Beyond infrastructure, he stressed that trust and cybersecurity would play an equally important role in shaping AI adoption.

According to him, public confidence in digital systems could be undermined by cyberattacks, data breaches and weak governance frameworks, potentially slowing innovation and limiting the uptake of emerging technologies.

He urged governments, regulators, operators and technology firms to prioritise transparency, accountability, privacy protection and cybersecurity safeguards as AI becomes increasingly embedded in critical sectors of the economy.

“Trust remains the foundation of digital transformation,” he said, warning that security vulnerabilities could erode confidence in digital services and discourage investment.

The ALTON chairman also renewed calls for stronger protection of telecommunications infrastructure, describing communications facilities as critical national assets that underpin economic activity and digital inclusion.

His appeal comes against the backdrop of recurring incidents of fibre cuts, vandalism, theft of telecom equipment and disruptions caused by construction activities, all of which continue to affect service quality and increase operational costs for operators.

“We all must take ownership of communication infrastructure because it is the bedrock upon which digital services depend,” he said.

Adebayo identified rising energy costs, foreign exchange volatility, infrastructure vandalism and multiple taxation as some of the most significant challenges confronting telecom operators in Nigeria.

These challenges have become more pressing as operators seek to expand network capacity and prepare for growing demand from AI-powered applications and digital services.

Looking beyond Nigeria, Adebayo called for deeper regional cooperation across West Africa, including harmonised regulations and investment-friendly policies capable of accelerating digital infrastructure deployment across borders.

He argued that Africa’s young population, expanding internet penetration and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem position the continent to become a significant beneficiary of the AI economy, provided governments and industry stakeholders make the necessary infrastructure investments.

His comments reinforce a growing consensus within the telecommunications sector that Africa’s AI future will be determined not only by access to advanced technologies but also by the continent’s ability to build resilient networks capable of supporting the massive data flows that artificial intelligence requires.

For Nigeria, that challenge increasingly points to a familiar conclusion: the race for AI leadership may ultimately be won by countries that first solve their infrastructure deficits. As AI applications become more sophisticated and data-hungry, telecom networks are emerging as the invisible foundation upon which the next phase of digital economic growth will be built.