Late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who handed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, two years after finishing his second time period in workplace, left behind a blended {economic} legacy.
However one sector that steadily thrived beneath his administration was Data and Communications Expertise (ICT), which emerged as a constant driver of Nigeria’s GDP over his eight-year rule.
From a modest contribution of 9.80% to actual GDP in Q3 2015, the ICT sector grew to account for a formidable 19.54% by Q2 2023, simply weeks after Buhari handed over energy.
This development was powered by Nigeria’s increasing telecommunications trade, the rise of digital platforms, and robust authorities backing for a digital economic system.
Let’s take a better have a look at how the sector advanced beneath his watch.
Buhari assumed workplace in Could 2015, throughout a interval of mounting {economic} uncertainty. The ICT sector grew 5.27% in actual phrases in Q3 2015, contributing 9.80% to GDP.
By the tip of 2015, the sector had picked up barely with an 11.26% contribution to GDP, largely pushed by telecoms and broadcasting.
Nonetheless, 2016 and 2017 had been tough years. Whereas the sector posted nominal development of 17.43% in This fall 2016, actual development slowed to only 1.95% for the 12 months, down from 6.22% in 2015. In 2017, the ICT sector even contracted, with actual development at -1.04%, marking the sector’s solely full-year decline beneath Buhari.
Regardless of the hunch, ICT’s share of the economic system remained steady, contributing 11.35% to GDP in 2017, suggesting it was extra resilient than most sectors throughout Nigeria’s first recession in a quarter-century.
The tide turned in 2018 because the sector bounced again with actual GDP development of 9.65%, and its contribution to GDP rose to 12.22%, supported by the increasing cell and web person base.
In 2019, the sector slowed barely to eight.50% development in This fall, however its GDP contribution hit 13.04% for the complete 12 months—an all-time excessive on the time. Buhari’s re-election that 12 months set the stage for larger strikes within the digital economic system.
Then got here 2020 and with it, the pandemic. Whereas most sectors suffered sharp contractions, ICT surged with 13.18% annual development, contributing 15.05% to actual GDP. Lockdowns pressured companies and companies on-line, boosting the demand for information, digital instruments, and fintech companies.
In 2021, development moderated to six.55%, but ICT’s GDP contribution rose to fifteen.51%. Whilst different sectors struggled with post-COVID restoration, the ICT house continued to profit from digital adoption throughout finance, well being, schooling, and leisure.
President Buhari’s administration could also be remembered for a lot of issues, from its acclaimed combat towards corruption to its dealing with of {economic} turbulence, however one standout achievement was creating the coverage surroundings for ICT to flourish.
Throughout his tenure, the federal government launched the Nationwide Digital Financial system Coverage and Technique (NDEPS), rolled out broadband penetration targets, established tech hubs and startup insurance policies, and supported the emergence of unicorns like Flutterwave, Andela, and Opay.
In response to the previous Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, who served beneath Buhari, the diligent implementation of the NDEPS for a Digital Nigeria, stakeholder engagement and, creation of an enabling surroundings all performed an necessary function within the development of ICT GDP beneath the administration.
Nonetheless, the interval was marred by declining overseas direct investments within the telecommunication trade, a growth stakeholders attributed to a number of unaddressed points.
In response to the Chairman of the Affiliation of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, problems with excessive price of Proper of Approach prices, a number of taxation, and overseas alternate volatility had been a number of the elements discouraging overseas buyers on the time.
In the meantime, all the problems are nonetheless unaddressed even after two years into President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
