Nigeria’s Bosun Tijani Elected Chair of ITU Council 2026 at UN Telecoms Body

Nigeria now chairs the International Telecommunication Union. Dr Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, was elected Chair of the 2026 ITU Council at the body’s inaugural plenary session in Geneva on April 28.

The ITU Council is the UN’s key global telecoms governance body, overseeing policy, finance, and strategic direction between its major plenipotentiary conferences. As Chair, Tijani will lead deliberations on emerging technologies, digital inclusion, funding sustainability, and institutional reforms — with a plenipotentiary conference also on the horizon later this year.

What He Said

In his acceptance speech, Tijani framed the appointment as a responsibility, not just a title. “I accept this responsibility with a clear sense of purpose to serve this Council with fairness, balance, and unwavering respect for the sovereignty rights of every member state,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with colleagues to build consensus and deliver outcomes that reflect our shared ambitions.”

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin welcomed the new chair, saying the Union is “consolidating recent progress to expand its global impact and relevance.”

Nigeria’s Growing Digital Footprint

The appointment marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s push to stake out territory in global digital governance. Tijani has been one of the more visible African ministers on the international tech circuit, with Nigeria increasingly making moves at bodies like the ITU, the African Union’s digital economy commission, and FOCAC.

Chairing the ITU Council gives Nigeria a direct hand in shaping global connectivity policy — from spectrum management to AI governance frameworks — at a moment when those decisions carry serious economic weight for developing nations.

Sources: Vanguard, Federal Ministry of Communications, TechAfrica News