The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a comprehensive review of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, nearly three decades after its adoption, citing rapid technological advancement and changing market realities that have rendered the existing framework outdated.
The Commission announced the start of the review process on Monday with the release of a consultation paper inviting stakeholders across the public and private sectors to submit inputs on proposed changes to the policy.
According to the NCC, the exercise is aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s telecommunications policy to align with contemporary developments in digital services, internet governance, satellite communications, broadband penetration and universal access, while sustaining the sector’s role as a major driver of economic growth.
In its consultation paper, the NCC noted that the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 itself was introduced to replace an earlier framework that had become obsolete.
The policy superseded the 1998 telecommunications policy and ushered in full market liberalisation, extensive stakeholder consultation and a unified regulatory framework under the NCC.
Approved during Nigeria’s early democratic era, the 2000 policy marked a fundamental shift from state dominance to a liberalised, competitive and market-driven telecommunications environment. Prior to its implementation, the sector was largely controlled by the government-owned Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).
“Before liberalisation, Nigeria’s telecommunications sector was dominated by NITEL, a state monopoly characterised by obsolete infrastructure, poor quality of service and very low teledensity,” the Commission stated.
However, the NCC observed that just as the 1998 policy became outdated due to global technological changes, the 2000 policy now requires a thorough overhaul to address present-day realities.
These include the rise of platform-based digital services, broadband-dependent applications, data-driven economies and emerging non-terrestrial networks such as satellite-based communications.
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The formulation of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 paved the way for the licensing of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) operators in 2001 and 2002, a development that transformed Nigeria’s telecoms market almost overnight. Mobile subscriptions rapidly overtook fixed-line services, revealing significant pent-up demand and highlighting the sector’s growth potential.
More importantly, the policy laid the foundation for the enactment of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which established a strong legal and regulatory framework for the industry.
Since then, telecommunications has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most dynamic sectors, attracting substantial foreign direct investment and making significant contributions to gross domestic product (GDP).
The NCC acknowledged that the NTP played a pivotal role in enabling the growth of e-commerce, digital financial services and the broader digital economy, effectively transforming Nigeria from a slow-moving, state-controlled telecoms sector into a competitive, innovation-driven industry.
As part of the ongoing review, the Commission is proposing targeted revisions to several chapters of the policy.
Chapter Seven, which deals with the Internet, is set for an update to address online safety, strengthen internet exchange protocols and provide clearer policy guidance on content moderation, digital platforms and online services operating within Nigeria.
Despite the significant growth recorded in the sector over the years, the high cost of right-of-way remains a major bottleneck to infrastructure expansion. The NCC noted that excessive RoW charges have slowed network rollout by operators and increased operating costs across the industry.
According to data released by the Commission, telecom operators’ operating costs surged by 85 per cent to N5.85 trillion in 2024, driven largely by right-of-way expenses.
The proposed inclusion of a dedicated chapter on RoW charges in the revised policy is expected to help address this challenge and accelerate infrastructure deployment nationwide.
The NCC said the review process is intended to produce a future-ready telecommunications policy that supports innovation, improves connectivity, reduces costs and strengthens Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy.