From crisis to confidence: How Aminu Maida is repositioning Nigeria’s telecommunications sector

When Dr. Aminu Maida assumed office as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on October 11, 2023, he inherited a telecommunications industry facing one of its most difficult periods in recent history.

Although the sector remained one of the strongest pillars of Nigeria’s digital economy, it was grappling with mounting operational, financial and regulatory challenges. Investment had slowed, infrastructure was increasingly vulnerable to vandalism, disputes between industry players threatened stability, while consumer expectations for better quality of service continued to rise.

For the new NCC chief, the task was not simply to regulate the industry but to restore confidence, strengthen sustainability and position telecommunications as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital transformation.

From the outset, Maida outlined a strategy focused on balancing the interests of the Commission’s three major stakeholders.

For consumers, the priority was improved quality of service and a better customer experience. For operators and investors, the objective was to create a predictable and transparent regulatory environment that would encourage long-term investment. For government, the Commission sought to support economic growth through resilient digital infrastructure capable of driving innovation and national development.

Resolving Longstanding Industry Disputes

One of the earliest challenges confronting the Commission was the issue of outstanding debts within the telecommunications ecosystem.

By the end of 2024, the NCC had successfully facilitated the resolution of virtually all legacy intra-industry debts, while ensuring that no significant new disputes emerged among operators during the year.

Another major breakthrough came with the settlement of more than N100 billion owed by commercial banks to telecommunications operators for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services.

The Commission subsequently introduced the End-User Billing Policy, allowing subscribers to pay directly for USSD transactions through their airtime while receiving real-time information on applicable charges. The policy effectively ended years of disagreements between banks and telecom operators over payment responsibilities.

Strengthening Digital Identity

The Commission also played a central role in implementing the Federal Government’s National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM integration policy.

Completed in September 2024, the exercise ensured that every active SIM card operating in Nigeria is linked to a verifiable National Identification Number, significantly improving identity verification and strengthening efforts to combat cybercrime, financial fraud and other digital security threats.

Restoring Investor Confidence

Perhaps one of the most significant developments under Maida’s leadership has been the renewed confidence of investors in the telecommunications industry.

For several years, operators had struggled with rising operating costs amid stagnant tariffs, limiting their ability to invest in network expansion and infrastructure upgrades.

In January 2026, the NCC approved cost-reflective tariff adjustments after extensive consultations with stakeholders.

Since the approval, telecommunications operators have committed more than $1 billion in fresh investments, funding network modernisation, equipment upgrades and nationwide expansion projects.

Industry data shows that over 2,600 additional capacity and coverage sites have been deployed across the country within six months, significantly improving network resilience and service availability.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure

Infrastructure vandalism has long remained one of the biggest threats to telecommunications services in Nigeria.

Years of fibre cuts, theft of power equipment and attacks on base stations resulted in network disruptions, financial losses and declining quality of service.

Following sustained advocacy by the NCC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order in June 2024, officially designating telecommunications infrastructure as critical national assets deserving enhanced legal protection.

Since then, the Commission has worked closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), security agencies and industry operators to operationalise the Order.

Joint enforcement efforts have led to the reopening of previously inaccessible telecommunications sites while security agencies have dismantled several criminal syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment.

Raising Governance Standards

Recognising that sustainable growth requires strong corporate governance, the NCC introduced its 2025 Corporate Governance Guidelines for the telecommunications industry.

The framework promotes transparency, balanced board composition, stronger internal controls and improved risk management among licensed operators.

Industry analysts believe the reforms are helping to strengthen investor confidence while improving accountability across the sector.

To further improve consumer awareness, the Commission introduced Tariff Simplification Guidelines requiring operators to publish standardised information on service plans, pricing, validity periods, benefits and applicable terms.

Similarly, telecommunications operators are now required to report major service outages through the NCC’s Major Outage Portal, enabling subscribers to understand the cause, scope and expected duration of network disruptions.

Leveraging Data for Better Consumer Experience

In another significant policy innovation, the Commission launched its Quality of Experience Crowdsourcing Project in 2025.

The initiative enables the NCC to independently monitor network performance across Nigeria using real-time consumer experience data collected from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The project is expected to provide greater transparency in network performance while encouraging healthy competition among operators to improve service quality.

Accelerating Broadband Expansion

Beyond regulatory reforms, the Commission has continued to engage state governments to reduce barriers to broadband infrastructure deployment.

As a result of sustained advocacy, 28 states have adopted the nationally recommended Right of Way (RoW) fee of N145 per metre, while 11 states have eliminated the charges entirely.

The move is expected to accelerate fibre deployment, reduce infrastructure costs and expand broadband access nationwide.

Maida has also expressed optimism that Nigeria will soon adopt a revised National Telecommunications Policy designed to support a more secure, resilient and inclusive digital ecosystem.

According to him, while considerable progress has been made in stabilising the industry, the focus is now shifting towards building the digital infrastructure required to support the country’s long-term economic transformation.

Investor confidence has returned, infrastructure protection has improved, longstanding commercial disputes have largely been resolved, governance standards have been strengthened and transparency has become a defining feature of regulation.