ITU pledges $73bn for digital connectivity in Nigeria, others

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations (UN) agency for digital technologies, has announced new industry commitments to its Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, now reaching $73 billion in pledges for universal, meaningful connectivity. The latest commitments, presented during Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25), reflect growing momentum from leading mobile and satellite industry players rallying […]

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations (UN) agency for digital technologies, has announced new industry commitments to its Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, now reaching $73 billion in pledges for universal, meaningful connectivity.

The latest commitments, presented during Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25), reflect growing momentum from leading mobile and satellite industry players rallying to bridge the digital divide.

Partner2Connect is ITU’s initiative to mobilize pledges and resources to reinforce global connectivity efforts, strengthen the world’s digital infrastructure and move closer to ensuring that everyone can use the Internet.

“In space, on land and under the sea, expansive digital infrastructure highlights how much humanity values and depends on meaningful connectivity,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “These new pledges bring us even closer to our goal of delivering sustainable digital transformation to everyone, everywhere.”

The new commitments came from: MTN Group, which is deeply committed to investing in the future of Africa, deploying on average approximately $ 2 billion per year in capital expenditure across its markets over the past five years.

The company expects to make similar investments over the next five years, in support of Africa’s growth and prosperity. This will be dedicated to expanding and strengthening its voice and data networks, ensuring better coverage and connectivity for its customers. MTN Group believes these investments are crucial for driving digital inclusion and economic growth in these vital markets.

Globalstar, which is investing $ 2 billion to expand its LEO satellite network, delivering seamless, low-latency, and energy-efficient connectivity for direct-to-device (D2D) and IoT solutions. Through this pledge, Globalstar will expand connectivity in remote regions, delivering reliable and affordable communication solutions where they are needed most.

New industry pledges to take on existing challenges

The announced pledges come as ITU celebrates its 160th anniversary in 2025 and is committed to securing a better digital future for all by advancing efforts to connect the unconnected, fast-track sustainable digital development, and empower people to use digital technologies.

Today, 2.6 billion people around the world remain offline, according to ITU’s Facts & Figures report.

ITU has called for $100 billion in commitments to Partner2Connect by 2026 for projects driving digital transformation across all countries, with special attention to the hardest-to-connect communities.

ITU currently estimates that $1.6 trillion is required in hardware costs alone to complete the task of connecting the world, with most of the resources needed in developing countries.

The new commitments will be used to expand and enhance digital infrastructure, strengthen connectivity in underserved areas, and accelerate digital transformation through innovative technologies.