NCC targets stronger networks, fair pricing as Maida unveils 2026 telecom agenda

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has outlined a comprehensive roadmap for Nigeria’s telecommunications sector in 2026, pledging improved service quality, stronger consumer protection and a more sustainable, competitive market.

In a wide-ranging New Year message addressed to industry stakeholders, consumers and the general public, Dr. Maida struck a tone of cautious optimism while acknowledging the persistent challenges confronting the sector.

The message, issued in early January, reflected on the achievements of the past year and set out strategic priorities aimed at delivering tangible improvements for Nigerians.

Describing communications services as essential public goods, Maida said the telecoms sector plays a critical role in connecting families, enabling commerce, advancing education and healthcare, and driving the country’s digital economy.

He noted that the NCC’s overarching objective for 2026 is to ensure the industry delivers “stronger networks, fairer value, and greater protection for consumers.”

Highlighting progress recorded in 2025, the NCC boss disclosed that telecom operators deployed more than 2,800 new and upgraded network sites during the year.

This expansion, he said, helped boost broadband subscriptions to approximately 109.6 million, pushing penetration beyond the 50 per cent mark.

Maida also pointed to improvements in mobile network performance, noting that median 4G download speeds increased, while both 4G and emerging 5G services expanded their reach to more users across the country.

Despite these gains, he acknowledged that quality of service remains uneven across regions.

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Consumers, he said, continue to grapple with network congestion, service outages linked to power shortages and infrastructure vandalism, slow resolution of complaints and inconsistent customer care standards.

According to him, these gaps undermine consumer confidence and limit the sector’s overall contribution to national development.

To address these concerns, Dr. Maida outlined a multi-pronged agenda for 2026. On quality of service, he said the NCC will intensify monitoring and enforcement of service standards, strengthen incident reporting frameworks and work to reduce network outages and congestion nationwide.

On consumer protection, the Commission pledged to tighten safeguards against misleading billing practices, improve tariff transparency and enhance mechanisms for handling consumer complaints and disputes.

Maida also emphasised the importance of market sustainability and fair competition, stressing the need to balance consumer satisfaction with the commercial viability of operators.

He said a healthy, competitive market is essential to attracting investment and sustaining long-term infrastructure growth.

Cybersecurity and digital safety were identified as key priorities for the year ahead.

The NCC plans to expand cybersecurity frameworks and strengthen the Internet Code of Practice to better protect users from fraud, impersonation and harmful online content.

In addition, Maida disclosed that the Commission intends to operationalise a revised Corporate Governance Code in 2026, aimed at improving accountability, transparency and ethical conduct across the telecommunications sector.

Throughout his message, the NCC chief underscored the importance of collaboration, noting that meaningful progress in the communications sector requires joint action by government agencies, operators, civil society and consumers.

He cited ongoing partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria to improve refunds for failed airtime and data purchases, engagement with security agencies to protect critical telecom infrastructure, and dialogue with sub-national governments to address deployment bottlenecks.

In closing, Dr. Maida expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their resilience and active engagement, and thanked industry stakeholders for their continued investments and efforts despite challenging operating conditions.

He described 2026 as a year focused on “measurable improvement in consumer experience,” stressing that sustained progress will depend on accountability, innovation and shared commitment.