BREAKING: Despite Tinubu’s Nomination, Minister of Communications Bosun Tijani Withdraws From ITU Race
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has stepped down from the race for Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Tijani announced his decision on Friday, September 11, saying he chose not to continue with the race after “careful consideration.”
The minister said the position was attractive to both him and Nigeria, but he had decided that his attention was still needed on the digital projects being carried out in the country.
“After careful consideration, I have decided not to pursue the opportunity to contest for the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union.
“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.
“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 said in a LinkedIn post.
The Genius Media Nigeria reports that Tijani had been nominated by President Bola Tinubu on May 5, 2026, and was expected to contest the position at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference scheduled for November in Doha, Qatar.
His withdrawal means Nigeria will no longer pursue the opportunity to produce its first elected official in the 160-year history of the international telecommunications body.
The minister said several ongoing projects required his attention, including Project BRIDGE, which is expected to deliver a 90,000-kilometre open-access fibre network across Nigeria.
He also mentioned the National Universal Connectivity Access Programme, aimed at extending mobile coverage to underserved communities through the deployment of new telecoms towers.
Other projects he listed include two new communications satellites, a national alphanumeric postcode system and the Nigeria Web Design Standards.
Tijani has also held leadership positions within the ITU during his time as minister.
He was elected Vice Chair of the ITU Council for 2025, making it Nigeria’s first leadership position on the council in almost 50 years.
In 2024, he was also appointed to the Digital Innovation Board of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.
In his nomination letter, President Tinubu had described Tijani as “a distinguished technology leader, policymaker, and global advocate for digital transformation.”
Tijani said he would instead continue working with the Tinubu administration to advance its digital economy agenda.
“My focus will therefore remain on supporting President Tinubu’s transformative digital economy agenda and ensuring that these critical programmes deliver enduring value for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the Minister concluded.
