Nigeria has formally assumed the chairmanship of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), taking over from Algeria at the conclusion of the Union's 7th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26), held in Abuja from July 23 to 24, 2026.

The handover took place at the closing ceremony of the conference, widely regarded as Africa's highest decision-making gathering on telecommunications and digital economy policy. Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, accepted the chairmanship on behalf of the country and used the occasion to call on fellow African nations to deepen their collaboration as the continent works toward a shared digital future. He emphasised that the discussions, decisions and compromises reached throughout the conference reflected a collective belief that Africa's digital progress is strongest when member states act together rather than in isolation.

Convened once every four years, the Conference of Plenipotentiaries serves as the ATU's highest governing body, giving member states the opportunity to review the Union's activities, elect new leadership, set strategic priorities, and align on a common African position ahead of major global engagements β€” including this year's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference, scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, later in 2026.

Beyond the chairmanship transition, the conference produced a significant leadership change at the top of the organisation itself. After four rounds of voting among the 34 member states that participated, delegates elected Zambia's Kezias Kazuba Mwale as the ATU's Secretary-General for the 2027–2030 term, securing 21 votes in the decisive final round ahead of South Africa's Cynthia Leungo Lesufi and Cameroon's Ottou ValΓ©ry Hilaire.

Among the conference's most consequential outcomes was the adoption of the Abuja Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa, a new policy framework committing member states to expanding affordable and universal digital access across the continent. The declaration also calls for coordinated action among the African Union Commission, the ITU, regional economic bodies, development partners, private industry, academic institutions and civil society organisations to advance digital inclusion in support of broader Sustainable Development Goals. It further commits signatories to strengthening broadband infrastructure, consumer protection, cybersecurity, and digital literacy initiatives targeted at women, youth, persons with disabilities and historically underserved communities.

The conference also elected 25 member states to sit on the ATU's Administrative Council for the coming four-year cycle, with West Africa represented by Burkina Faso, CΓ΄te d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, alongside representatives from North, Southern, Eastern and Central Africa.

With Nigeria now positioned at the helm of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries for the next institutional cycle, the country finds itself well placed to help shape the implementation of the resolutions adopted in Abuja and to strengthen Africa's collective voice heading into upcoming global telecommunications negotiations, including the ITU's Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha.