Bosun Tijani quits ITU Deputy SG bid to focus on Nigeria digital work

Bosun Tijani announced on Friday via LinkedIn that he is withdrawing his candidacy for Deputy Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a position he had been nominated for by President Bola Tinubu in May 2026. He said after careful consideration he wants to remain focused on Nigeria’s digital transformation programmes.

The withdrawal means Nigeria will not pursue a historic first for a Nigerian to hold an elected ITU office in the agency’s 160‑year history. Tijani noted that while the post was attractive personally and nationally, his most consequential contribution now is to stay home and drive key projects.

He highlighted several major initiatives: Project BRIDGE, which will lay 90,000 kilometres of open‑access fibre across Nigeria; NUCAP, aiming to expand mobile connectivity to millions through thousands of new telecommunications towers; two new communications satellites; a national alphanumeric postcode system to give precise digital addresses; and the Nigeria Web Design Standards. Tijani said these efforts are critical for expanding coverage, strengthening resilience and promoting digital inclusion.

Earlier, Tijani had been elected Vice Chair of the ITU Council for 2025, marking Nigeria’s first leadership role in the Council in nearly 50 years, and had served on the ITU’s Digital Innovation Board since 2024.

Will staying focused on Nigeria’s domestic digital infrastructure deliver greater long‑term benefits for the country than pursuing the ITU post?

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2026/09/11/bosun-tijani-withdraws-from-itu-race-despite-tinubus-nomination/