Jane Egerton-Idehen leads NIGCOMSAT, advancing Nigeria’s satellite technology, digital inclusion, and women’s empowerment.
When Jane Egerton-Idehen became Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) in October 2023, she stepped into one of the most important roles in Nigeria’s digital space.
NIGCOMSAT, a federal agency under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, operates satellite systems that provide communication services across West, Central, and Southeast Africa, as well as parts of Europe and Asia. Its work underscores Nigeria’s ambitions to expand broadband access, close the digital divide, and position the nation as a regional technology hub.
Jane Egerton-Idehen, a Lagos-bred, graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2001 with a degree in Electronics Engineering. She began her career as an earth station engineer, maintaining ground equipment and managing signal transmissions. Egerton-Idehen has since built an international career, holding senior sales and management positions at prominent telecommunications companies like Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Avanti Communications, and Meta (Facebook). Her work in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa has focused on digital transformation, customer solutions, and network expansion.
The MD/CEO also holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and has completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School and Yale School of Management.
Since assuming office, she has focused on expanding the agency’s operational reach and strengthening Nigeria’s satellite infrastructure. One of her key initiatives is the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator Programme, launched in 2025 to support startups developing satellite and space-related technologies in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, climate resilience, education, and logistics. The programme also prioritises gender inclusion, offering mentorship and funding access to women-led technology ventures.
Egerton-Idehen also spearheaded a partnership with the Kenya Space Agency to expand satellite broadband capacity across Africa, targeting education, defence, healthcare, fintech, and governance. This regional collaboration enhances not only connectivity but also policy coordination around satellite governance.
Another major initiative she supervised was The Big Picture, a joint effort with Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission to use NIGCOMSAT’s sovereign satellite for nationwide Direct-to-Home digital broadcasting. By relying less on terrestrial transmission towers, the project expands digital access and promotes local content distribution.
Additionally, she has overseen the extension of the operational life of Nigeria’s key communications satellite, NigComSat-1R, until 2028, ensuring continued service delivery while preparations for new satellite launches advance. Complementing these efforts is Project 774 LG Connectivity, aimed at extending broadband access to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to improve community-level digital inclusion.
These initiatives have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s growing digital economy. The telecommunications sector accounts for between 14% and 19% of Nigeria’s GDP as of 2024–2025, driven by increased broadband penetration, mobile connectivity, and digital services. NIGCOMSAT’s expanded infrastructure supports these gains by enabling digital finance, e-learning, e-health, and logistics systems across underserved communities.
Beyond her executive role, Egerton-Idehen is an angel investor, author, and advocate for women in technology. Her bestselling book, Be Fearless: Give Yourself Permission To Be You, explores lessons from her career and her mission to support women in leadership. Through her platform, Womenncareers, she also mentors women globally, helping them navigate professional growth in male-dominated industries.
