Mr. Soji Maurice-Diya, Chief Executive Officer of NatCom Development & Investment Limited (buying and selling as ntel), says the corporate stays bullish about its market comeback in Q1 2026, unveiling a renewed technique to fill what he describes as “innovation gaps” in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
Speaking through 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 CEO shared his firm’s renewed imaginative and prescient to re-enter Nigeria’s extremely aggressive telecoms market via an infrastructure-light mannequin 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 stated. “With all due respect to our partners and competitors in the ecosystem, we don’t think there’s been nearly enough innovation in the last few years.” According to him, ntel’s return is not going to search to copy current market fashions, however to focus on area of interest segments of Nigerian customers via merchandise that ship distinctive worth propositions. “For us to go and play in the 100 million subscriber game, that’s not what we’re about,” he said. “We’re about to find a very small subset of subscribers, and serve them extremely well. We think the future will kind of take care of itself if we’re able to do that very well.”
Reimagining the Role of Telecoms in Nigeria
Maurice-Diya stated ntel’s return displays a broader perception that the Nigerian telecoms trade nonetheless holds monumental untapped potential for innovation and cross-sector worth creation. He famous that whereas the trade has matured over the past 25 years—changing into a key enabler of Nigeria’s financial system—contemporary concepts are nonetheless required to drive its subsequent part of evolution.
“Most of us are aware that the telecoms industry in Nigeria, as we know it today, started almost 25 years ago,” he stated. “It has witnessed significant and impactful growth, particularly in supporting Nigeria’s broader commercial ecosystem. Over the last 25 years, one would argue that the sector has become a mature market and there’s a lot more stability.” He counseled long-standing operators like MTN, Airtel, and Glo for demonstrating long-term dedication to the market, including that their continued investments have strengthened the trade’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP.
However, he argued that the following chapter of the Nigerian telecoms story should see operators evolving past offering connectivity, towards changing into digital platforms that allow and unlock new alternatives throughout different sectors. “Telcos have to be able to play more than just a communication or connectivity role and become a digital platform that can enable and unlock a lot of additional opportunities,” he stated.
Policy Synergy and Market Evolution
On the coverage entrance, the ntel CEO praised ongoing reforms pushed by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, particularly the tariff reduction measures launched between late 2024 and early 2025. He stated these interventions have created “a bit more justification for further investment in the industry.” Maurice-Diya emphasised the necessity for stronger synergy between the communications and {financial} sectors, which he described as crucial to the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s digital financial system.
“There needs to be more synergy between the communications ecosystem and the financial sector,” he stated. “To the extent possible that there is a bit more closer working relationship between both ecosystems to birth what I think is the next chapter that can help define the broader ecosystem in the next 25 years.” He added that dynamic pricing, tax incentives, and sustainability-driven infrastructure insurance policies will stay central to enhancing trade competitiveness.
“Dynamic pricing and allowing a bit more flexibility in the tariff regime might be one,” he defined. “In addition to it there are tax incentives. Again, I think the government has played a role in creating some reduction in tax-based taxes around withholding tax. A little bit more can be done there.”
Supporting National Connectivity Goals
The ntel CEO counseled the Federal Government’s rural broadband initiatives, notably the deliberate deployment of seven,000 telecom towers and 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure over the following 5 years. “I think those, while they’re not necessarily policy interventions, are welcome interventions that will help,” he stated. “We at ntel will play a role not only by supporting the ecosystem but also creating a couple of interesting products that we think will also further broaden and deepen connectivity and improve telecommunication services across the country.”
Balancing Regulation and Innovation
Maurice-Diya referred to as for a regulatory setting that permits innovation to flourish earlier than being constrained by over-regulation. “A lot of times regulation comes on the back of innovation,” he famous. “The government should continue to allow for innovation first, and then regulate on the back-end because you can’t regulate everything. When you over-regulate, you stifle innovation.”
He cited world experiences corresponding to cryptocurrency as an example how measured regulatory approaches can help innovation with out compromising stability. “You start by allowing innovation to happen, and as long as you keep your pulse on what’s going on, I think you’ll find that there are actually opportunities,” he added.
Local Content and Industry Sustainability
The ntel CEO additionally underscored the significance of native content material growth in strengthening Nigeria’s digital financial system. He stated the sustainability of the telecoms trade will rely on the nation’s means to localise expertise, infrastructure, and expertise. “The sustainability of the industry is predicated on the ability to localise as much as possible,” Maurice-Diya stated. “In the early days it was understandable that a lot of our capacity was built from outside of the country, but over time there’s now opportunities to start to localise those things.”
He acknowledged ongoing authorities efforts via initiatives like the three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme geared toward deepening native capability, including that “the industry is headed in the right direction.” “External influences can be expensive and sometimes not necessarily committed to the long-term growth of the
industry,” he warned. “The policies have to just continue to support it.”
Enabling Long-Term Investment and Growth
According to Maurice-Diya, sustaining investor confidence would require continued macroeconomic stability, notably round overseas trade, tax coverage, and capital repatriation. “Investors are savvy and unemotional about where their investments go,” he stated. “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 authorities to tie tax incentives to long-term capital commitments and guarantee a fairer value-sharing formulation throughout interconnected industries corresponding to {financial} providers, schooling, and logistics. “FX stability and some tax incentives… I think the government could go a bit further in protecting long-term investments and actually tying targets or long-term investments to additional incentives,” he stated.
ntel’s Comeback Strategy: A Digital Play
Reflecting on ntel’s legacy, Maurice-Diya stated the corporate—initially Nigeria’s government-owned first nationwide operator NITEL, which transitioned to ntel in 2015—had achieved commendable milestones earlier than pausing operations lately. Its Q1 2026 comeback, he revealed, will leverage an infrastructure-light, innovation-driven enterprise mannequin centered on digital experiences.
“In coming back, we’re exploring a very, very light digital play,” he stated. “Our view is that there is still a role to be played by the likes of ourselves to innovate, to create very niche products that meet the needs of a teeming and young population.” The CEO stated ntel’s renewed focus can be on youth engagement and digital inclusion, reflecting Nigeria’s demographic benefit as one of many world’s youngest populations. “Between three and four million Nigerians turn 18 every year, and we think that’s an opportunity,” he stated. “If we’re able to tap into that, we can deepen our penetration, offer services that speak to their needs, and ultimately grow with them.”
Defining Legacy Through Innovation
Asked about his long-term imaginative and prescient for ntel’s legacy, Maurice-Diya stated the corporate’s objective is to create differentiated providers that not solely stand out within the market but additionally make lasting social and {economic} impression. “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 stated. He added that ntel plans to leverage its legacy infrastructure whereas investing in digital innovation to empower thousands and thousands of Nigerians and strengthen collaboration throughout the telecoms worth chain. “We’ve also played a role in being a partner to the rest of the ecosystem, supporting everybody else to make sure that the industry continues to be sustainable,” he stated.
Creating a Level Playing Field
On the broader telecoms market setting, the ntel boss burdened the significance of a good and aggressive ecosystem that encourages participation by new entrants. “The first thing is a fair playing ground for all players,” Maurice-Diya stated. “The ecosystem has to be able to see that there aren’t any preferential treatments being handed out to different players. The market is big enough to sustain a multiplicity of players, and we hope to be able to play in that role.” He inspired continued market liberalisation and pro-innovation regulation, which he believes can be crucial to sustaining Nigeria’s regional and world competitiveness over the following decade.
About Technology Times Thought Leadership Series
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