Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications and technology sectors have proposed an environmental, social and governance (ESG) index to provide a common framework for measuring the sustainability performance of telecom operators.
The index would assess operators across areas including energy use, digital inclusion, data protection, consumer trust, infrastructure resilience, local content and job creation.
The proposal was presented at the Telecoms and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) Stakeholder Strategy Breakfast in Abuja, where industry stakeholders reviewed a draft sustainability framework for the sector.
The engagement was held under the theme, “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Telecommunications and Technology in Nigeria: A Shared Vision for 2027–2032.”
The framework has not been adopted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), with the regulator saying it would formally review the proposal before providing feedback.
Presenting the proposed index, Chris Uwaje, a TTSWG board member, said the framework was designed to align Nigeria’s telecommunications environment with internationally recognised sustainability reporting practices while accounting for challenges specific to the local market.
He said the index would be structured around five pillars: Environment and Energy; Digital Inclusion and Affordability; Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust; Infrastructure Resilience and Governance; and Supply Chain and Local Value Creation.
The Environment and Energy pillar would measure operators’ energy mix, dependence on diesel, emissions and electronic waste management, while the Digital Inclusion and Affordability pillar would assess coverage, penetration, affordability and equitable access to telecommunications and digital services.
The Digital Integrity, Privacy and Consumer Trust pillar would cover data protection, fraud, consumer complaints and service quality, while Infrastructure Resilience and Governance would assess issues including vandalism, theft, fibre cuts, network restoration, right-of-way compliance and IPv6 readiness.
The Supply Chain and Local Value Creation pillar would focus on Nigeria-specific issues such as local content, local currency financing, decent work and job creation.
Uwaje said measurable sustainability indicators could strengthen investor confidence and improve access to sustainability-linked financing as investors and financial institutions increasingly require companies to demonstrate their ESG performance.
Helen Obi, director of the NCC’s digital economy department, said the Commission would need to receive and review the proposed framework before taking a position on it.
“We would still request or require that the documentation be sent to us formally, so that we could review in detail and then give feedback as a Commission,” Obi said.
She said several areas contained in the proposed framework were already aligned with initiatives being pursued by the NCC, particularly connectivity, digital inclusion, local device manufacturing, digital skills development and support for underserved communities.
According to Obi, the Commission is also working with sub-national governments to promote stronger and more resilient connectivity as part of efforts to deepen Nigeria’s digital economy.
Abdu-Waya Mohammed, chairman of the TTSWG Board, said the proposed strategy was developed in response to sustainability challenges confronting the telecommunications industry, including rising energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, electronic waste, inadequate digital inclusion and the need for stronger governance structures.
He said the proposed implementation strategy would focus on renewable energy, digital inclusion, social progress, governance, innovation and the development of industry-specific sustainability metrics.
Mohammed stressed that the framework remained a draft and that stakeholders were expected to contribute to its refinement before implementation.
“This is a stakeholder engagement. Whatever we are presenting today is a draft from the Secretariat, and we expect feedback from participants to further sharpen the way forward for the implementation of the strategy that we are proposing,” he said.
Bankole Oloruntoba, chief executive officer of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, said sustainability should be treated as an ecosystem-wide responsibility rather than an obligation for individual companies.
He identified ESG integration, accountability, innovation, energy efficiency, digital inclusion, electronic waste management, gender inclusion and policy advocacy as areas requiring greater attention.
Oloruntoba also linked improved sustainability reporting to access to international capital, noting that some global financing structures have requirements that organisations operating in Nigeria may not yet meet.
Under the proposal, the index would use weighted scores across the five pillars to produce a composite assessment of sustainability performance, with performance bands ranging from “leading” to “lagging.”
Implementation would run over three years, beginning with a pilot involving major mobile network operators and leading tower companies.
The first year would focus on testing core indicators, refining definitions and reporting templates, developing a reporting module and establishing an IPv6 baseline.
The second year would introduce a core reporting system for qualifying licensees, expand reporting by major operators and establish an internal sector sustainability baseline.
By the third year, the proposal envisages the publication of an annual Nigerian telecom sector sustainability report, expansion of the index and independent assurance of reported data.
