ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has withdrawn from the race for Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies.
Tijani announced the decision in a LinkedIn post on Friday, September 11, 2026, stating that after “careful consideration” he would not pursue the position.
He had been nominated by President Bola Tinubu on May 5, 2026, and was expected to contest the role at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference scheduled for November in Doha, Qatar.
The withdrawal ends Nigeria’s bid for what would have been a historic milestone: the first Nigerian elected as an official of the ITU in the organisation’s approximately 160-year history.
In his statement, Tijani acknowledged the appeal of the opportunity. “The opportunity was undoubtedly attractive, both personally and for Nigeria, as it would have presented the historic prospect of a Nigerian serving as one of the ITU’s elected officials for the first time in its 160-year history,” he said. “However, I believe the most consequential contribution I can make at this time is to remain focused on the critical work before us at home.”
He emphasised that his priority would remain supporting President Tinubu’s digital economy agenda and ensuring key programmes deliver lasting value for Nigerians.
Among the initiatives he cited is Project BRIDGE, which aims to deploy about 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre infrastructure across the country.
Other priorities include the National Universal Connectivity Access Programme (NUCAP) to extend mobile coverage to underserved communities, two communications satellites, a national alphanumeric postcode system, and Nigeria Web Design Standards.
President Tinubu had described Tijani in the nomination letter to ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin as a distinguished technology leader, policymaker, and global advocate for digital transformation.
Tijani has already held notable roles within the ITU during his tenure as minister. He served as Vice Chair of the ITU Council for 2025—Nigeria’s first leadership position on the Council in nearly 50 years—and was appointed Chair of the 2026 ITU Council earlier this year. He has also served on the Digital Innovation Board of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.
The ITU, headquartered in Geneva, coordinates global telecommunications standards, spectrum allocation, and efforts to expand digital connectivity. The Deputy Secretary-General position is one of the organisation’s top elected roles, supporting the Secretary-General in managing the Union’s activities between Plenipotentiary Conferences.
Tijani’s decision keeps him in Abuja to oversee Nigeria’s ongoing push for broader broadband access, digital inclusion, and infrastructure development under the current administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. No immediate replacement candidate from Nigeria has been announced for the Doha elections.
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