NCC, industry stakeholders push for major overhaul of Nigeria’s telecommunications policy

Key stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, including regulators, policymakers, operators and development partners, have called for a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s telecommunications policy framework to reflect emerging technologies, digital economy ambitions and evolving national development priorities.

The call was made during the National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission in Lagos to assess the implementation of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 and develop a modern framework for the future of the sector.

Speaking at the workshop, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape has evolved far beyond the realities that shaped the original policy over two decades ago.

According to him, the sector has moved from a basic liberalisation phase driven by limited telephone access and market reforms to a sophisticated digital ecosystem powered by broadband connectivity, artificial intelligence, 5G technology, 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 the reforms, the telecommunications sector was largely controlled by the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, popularly known as NITEL, with fewer than 500,000 active telephone lines serving a population of more than 120 million Nigerians.

Maida explained that the 2000 telecommunications policy played a major role in opening the market to private sector investment, encouraging competition and strengthening industry regulation through the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

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The reforms, he said, led to rapid growth in connectivity and transformed telecommunications into one of Nigeria’s most important economic sectors.

However, he warned that the industry now faces more complicated challenges requiring updated policies and stronger institutional coordination.

According to him, operators continue to grapple with fibre optic cable cuts, infrastructure vandalism, rising energy costs, multiple taxation, delays in obtaining permits and inadequate connectivity in rural communities.

“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,” Maida stated.

The NCC boss described telecommunications infrastructure as a critical productivity tool supporting sectors such as commerce, agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare, financial services and public administration.

He stressed that any revised policy framework must preserve core principles such as competition, universal access, independent regulation and consumer protection while introducing new measures capable of supporting innovation, resilience, broadband expansion and long-term investment.

Delivering the keynote address, Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, described the policy review as a critical governance and development exercise rather than a mere technical process.

“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 emphasised that effective policies provide clarity and certainty for regulators, investors and institutions, while weak or fragmented policies often create duplication, confusion and poor implementation.

She noted that telecommunications now serves as the foundation for nearly every sector of the economy, including fintech, digital trade, healthcare, education, agriculture, security and public service delivery.

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According to her, a revised telecommunications policy must go beyond network regulation and address broader national concerns such as digital inclusion, cybersecurity, investment protection, infrastructure resilience and digital governance.

She also called for closer collaboration among federal and state governments, regulators, telecom operators, investors and development institutions to resolve persistent challenges such as right-of-way charges, multiple taxation, digital exclusion, infrastructure deployment and cybersecurity threats.

“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 further urged policymakers to ensure that the revised framework is accompanied by a practical implementation roadmap detailing timelines, responsibilities, funding structures, measurable targets and reporting mechanisms.