NCC reviews telecom policy, seeks a framework to boost digital‑economy growth and improve inter‑agency coordination.

Nigeria’s telecommunications stakeholders, regulators and policymakers have urged a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s telecom policy framework to align it with emerging technologies, the digital economy, and broader national development goals.

The call was made on Tuesday at the National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Lagos. The workshop aimed to assess the implementation of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 and craft a forward‑looking framework for the sector.

Speaking at the event, NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Aminu Maida noted that the sector has evolved far beyond the assumptions that shaped the 2000 policy.

He described the transition from a liberalisation phase dominated by limited telephone access and market reforms to an advanced digital ecosystem driven by broadband, artificial intelligence, 5G, satellite broadband, cloud infrastructure and digital services.

“When the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 was introduced, Nigeria’s telecommunications sector was at a very different stage of development,” Maida said.

He recalled that before reforms, the sector was managed by the defunct NITEL, with fewer than 500,000 active telephone lines serving over 120 million Nigerians.

According to Maida, the policy was pivotal in opening the market to private investment, fostering competition and strengthening regulation through the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which led to rapid connectivity expansion across the country.

However, he warned that the sector now faces more complex challenges, including fibre cuts, infrastructure vandalism, high energy costs, multiple taxation, permitting delays and persistent rural connectivity gaps.

“These are not just operational issues for operators; they are national development issues because they affect the quality, resilience and reach of digital services across the economy,” he said.

The NCC boss emphasised that telecommunications is linked to all aspects of society, describing it as “productivity infrastructure for the entire economy,” supporting commerce, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, education, financial services and public administration.

He said the policy review must preserve core principles such as competition, universal access, independent regulation and consumer protection while developing a modern framework capable of supporting innovation, investment, resilience and broadband expansion.

Delivering the keynote address, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit Hadiza Bala Usman said the policy review was not merely a technical exercise but a governance and national development imperative.

According to her, policies must move beyond written documents to become practical instruments that deliver measurable outcomes.

“A policy is not merely a document. It is the expression of a country’s priorities, the framework through which public institutions organise action, and the basis on which government choices are translated into measurable outcomes,” she said.

Usman stressed that clear policy direction gives regulators, investors and institutions certainty, while weak or fragmented frameworks often lead to duplication of effort, blurred mandates and poor implementation.

She described telecommunications as an enabling platform that underpins virtually every sector of national life, including digital trade, fintech, education, healthcare, agriculture, security and public service delivery.

According to her, a revised telecommunications policy must address broader issues beyond networks and operators, including national productivity, inclusion, digital governance, infrastructure resilience, investment, cybersecurity and consumer protection.

She also urged stronger collaboration among federal and sub‑national governments, regulators, operators, investors and other stakeholders to address bottlenecks such as rights of way, taxation, digital inclusion, infrastructure deployment and cybersecurity.

“The NCC may regulate the industry, but the success of telecommunications policy also depends on the actions of many other public and private actors,” she said.

Usman said the revised policy should be accompanied by a clear implementation roadmap outlining timelines, responsibilities, funding requirements, performance indicators and reporting mechanisms.

She added that policies should be treated as “living instruments of governance” subject to periodic review, monitoring and adjustment rather than static documents.

Both speakers aligned the policy review with the Federal Government’s digital economy agenda and broader economic reform objectives.

Maida cited estimates by the GSMA showing that deeper digitalisation across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transport and government could significantly boost economic growth, create jobs and expand government revenue.

Usman, on her part, said the policy review should support the administration’s Eight Presidential Priorities by demonstrating how improved telecommunications infrastructure and digital connectivity can drive productivity, innovation, jobs, competitiveness and better public service delivery.

The workshop, which brought together regulators, operators, development partners, policymakers, academics and industry experts, is expected to produce recommendations toward the development of a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026.

Participants are expected to examine the implementation record of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000, identify policy gaps and propose reforms aimed at strengthening broadband access, digital inclusion, regulatory coordination, infrastructure protection and Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.