Lanre Kolade Commends FG’s Push for Digital Infrastructure, Urge Nigerians to Protect Critical National Assets

Seasoned connectivity expert and Founder/CEO of Koltronics Nigeria Limited, Lanre Kolade, has called for innovative and collaborative approaches to safeguard Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure, following its designation as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TechTV, Kolade lauded the Federal Government’s efforts to deepen digital infrastructure and position Nigeria as Africa’s leading digital economy hub.

He specifically commended the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, for implementing forward-thinking policies that have boosted investor confidence in the sector.

“The telecom industry is at a critical inflection point,” Kolade stated. “Now more than ever, telcos and regulators must collaborate to address threats to infrastructure, improve resilience, and ensure that telecom investments are protected as vital national assets.”

He emphasized the need for stakeholders to innovate around infrastructure security, redundancy, and access, warning that continued sabotage or neglect could undermine Nigeria’s digital future.

Kolade added that effective partnerships, policy alignment, and strategic investments are key to accelerating broadband penetration and achieving national digital transformation goals.

With over 25 years of experience in telecoms across Africa, Lanre Kolade has played a pivotal role in shaping the continent’s digital infrastructure. Through Koltronics, he is leading efforts to expand terrestrial fibre connectivity and build resilient subsea infrastructure. He is also Chairman of ConnectedCompute, a Dubai-based data centre advisory firm supporting edge computing growth across Africa.

As former Group CEO of CSquared, Kolade led landmark achievements including the landing of Google’s Equiano Cable in Togo, a $30 million project recognized by U.S. President Joe Biden during the 2022 G20 Summit in Bali.

Kolade remains one of Africa’s leading voices in tech policy and infrastructure strategy, committed to bridging the digital divide, enabling inclusive growth and future-proofing telecom investments.