“I am looking forward to leading discussions that are thoughtful, constructive and focused on impact,” he says. “At a time when technology is reshaping economies and societies at unprecedented speed, our task is to build a stronger, more responsive and future-ready ITU that works for every nation and every person.”
ITU Council focusing on critical issues shaping global technology ecosystem
Ahead of the meetings, Tijani says he has been engaging with senior ITU leadership, including Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and Deputy Secretary-General Tomas Lamanauskas, to align priorities for the upcoming session.
“As I prepare to transition from my previous role as Vice Chair and start my term as Chair of the 2026 Council of the International Telecommunication Union, I have spent the last few days engaging with the ITU leadership team,” Tijani says.
Deliberations at the 2026 Council are expected to focus on critical issues shaping the global technology ecosystem, including broadband infrastructure, cybersecurity, spectrum management, interoperability standards and innovation policy.
“The Council sessions will consider priorities that will guide the Union’s next four-year strategic cycle, including inclusive and secure infrastructure, digital applications, spectrum use, global ICT interoperability and creating an enabling environment for innovation,” the Minister says.
Tijani adds that his objective is to steer practical, consensus-driven discussions that deliver measurable outcomes for member states.
“I am looking forward to leading discussions that are thoughtful, constructive and focused on impact,” he says. “At a time when technology is reshaping economies and societies at unprecedented speed, our task is to build a stronger, more responsive and future-ready ITU that works for every nation and every person.”
Founded in 1865, the ITU is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies, coordinating global radio spectrum, developing technical standards and advancing digital inclusion worldwide. While the Plenipotentiary Conference, next scheduled as ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (PP-26), serves as its supreme decision-making body, the Council meets annually to oversee implementation of strategic and administrative priorities.
The 2026 Council session is particularly significant as it represents the final major governance platform ahead of the Union’s next leadership elections, where member states will decide on leadership positions and budgetary direction through to 2030.
Under the current cycle, discussions are anchored on the Connect 2030 Agenda, which is targeting the expansion of global connectivity and bridging the digital divide that continues to leave billions without meaningful internet access.
The agenda aligns with the ITU’s broader mandate, where governments and industry stakeholders collaborate on spectrum coordination, telecom standards and digital inclusion initiatives.
This year’s Council meeting is also convening at a critical juncture for the global ICT sector, as policymakers seek to balance rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, satellite communications, cross-border data flows and the need for resilient digital infrastructure.
Key performance targets under review include universal broadband coverage, affordable internet access, connectivity for schools and households, and expanded ownership of internet-enabled devices. Member states are also assessing progress on strengthening national cybersecurity frameworks through policies, emergency response teams and legislative instruments.
Beyond connectivity, the Council is expected to evaluate progress towards broader digital transformation goals for 2030, including closing gender, age and urban-rural digital divides, improving digital literacy, expanding internet adoption by businesses, increasing access to e-government services and leveraging ICT for climate and environmental sustainability.
Nigeria’s leadership of the 2026 ITU Council places the country at the centre of these global conversations, offering an opportunity to shape policy directions that will define the future of digital development across both emerging and advanced economies.
Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has urged Nigerian youths to take control of their neighbourhoods, streets and polling units ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He said this during his discussion with the Confederation of African Youths in Abuja.
Adebayo said Nigerian youths need to be more assertive ahead of the January 16, 2027, presidential election if they want a change of government.
According to him, politics in Nigeria transcends vocabulary and academic qualifications and requires active participation on the ground.
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Adebayo stressed that a better Nigeria is attainable if youths take the bull by the horns across polling units on election day.
“Politics is done in the neighborhoods. One hundred and sixty-six thousand eight hundred and seventy-four polling units. Any amount of command of English that you have that does not convince your neighbor about how they are going to vote.
“So we must go back to the streets and own it. Insincerity of purpose is what made the generation before us not to see the Promised Land.
“Politics is not a game of the mouth. It’s a game of the heart. Because the burden of politics is not easy,” he said.
DAILY POST reports that Adebayo is seeking the presidency in the 2027 election under the SDP. INEC has scheduled the Presidential/House of Assembly election for January 16, 2027.
Former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 election with about 65 percent of the votes.
Jibrin, who noted that 2023 is not 2027, said Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, will win the upcoming presidential election by a wide margin.
The former lawmaker spoke while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday night.
He said, “In 2023, President Tinubu got 38 percent of the votes because of the nature of what happened at that time, but take it to the bank, the president will have nothing less than 65 percent of the total votes cast in 2027.”
Jibrin said the APC has a master plan to tackle the opposition and its candidates because the ruling party has studied them.
He added, “We understand that people are talking about the strength of the other opposition parties and figures, but what they fail to realise is that 2023 is not 2027.
“We studied all of these opposition figures, their modus operandi, their various opponents; we know them very well, and we have our master plan.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to say something, but I can give you a hundred percent assurance that we are miles ahead of them and we will win the election.
“So, anything that is going to cause any little rifts and internal fighting, we don’t want it.”
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