Elegbede Abiodun
Says Nigeria will not depend on outdated telecom policies.
The Presidency has thrown its weight behind the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)’s decision to review the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy and modernise the country’s telecommunications framework.
Speaking at the NCC-organised National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop in Lagos, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said Nigeria can no longer rely on outdated telecom policies if it hopes to build a globally competitive digital economy.
Usman explained that the review became necessary because the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector has evolved significantly over the last two decades. According to her, technological advancements, changing security realities, economic growth, and rising public expectations have transformed the role of telecommunications in national development.
She noted that telecoms now extend beyond voice communication, serving as the backbone for financial technology, digital commerce, healthcare, education, agriculture, innovation, public services, and national security operations.
“A policy that was fit for purpose in the year 2000 cannot simply be assumed to remain adequate in 2026,” she said.
Usman warned that obsolete and poorly coordinated policies often create institutional overlaps, discourage investments, weaken implementation processes, and reduce measurable national impact.
She stressed that policies should go beyond existing as government documents and instead function as strategic frameworks capable of guiding regulators, boosting investor confidence, and setting clear expectations for citizens.
The presidential aide further stated that unclear policy directions frequently lead to overlapping responsibilities, poor resource allocation, inconsistent execution, and weak developmental outcomes.
According to her, the revised telecommunications framework must tackle critical areas such as broadband expansion, affordability of digital access, consumer protection, quality of service, infrastructure resilience, and inclusion of underserved communities.
Usman also called for stronger collaboration among federal and state institutions, local authorities, investors, telecom operators, regulators, and infrastructure providers to accelerate growth across the sector.
She maintained that the policy review should not be treated merely as a regulatory exercise but as a broader national development initiative tied directly to Nigeria’s economic reform agenda.
The presidential adviser reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving policy formulation, implementation, monitoring, coordination, and measurable outcomes across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
She added that the proposed National Public Policy Development and Management Framework would help address existing policy gaps through standardised procedures, implementation planning, periodic reviews, and evidence-based governance.
Earlier in his remarks, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has grown far beyond the assumptions behind the National Telecommunications Policy introduced in 2000.
Maida explained that the original policy focused primarily on liberalisation, increased access, competition, and encouraging private sector participation in telecommunications services.
However, he noted that the industry has since evolved into a broad digital ecosystem powering banking, commerce, entertainment, education, cloud computing, digital identity systems, and government operations.
He said emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, satellite broadband, cloud infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity regulations are now shaping the sector.
“This is no longer a narrow telecommunications conversation. It is no longer just one sector within the economy; it is a productivity infrastructure for the entire economy,” Maida stated.
According to him, the policy review will help sustain competition, protect consumers, strengthen independent regulation, expand universal access, and encourage innovation and investment.
Maida also identified major structural challenges affecting the industry, including fibre cuts, vandalism, high energy costs, multiple taxation, delays in permits, and rural connectivity gaps.
He noted that these challenges have become national development concerns because of their impact on the quality, resilience, and accessibility of digital services nationwide.
The NCC boss explained that the workshop was convened to evaluate the implementation of the current policy, identify existing gaps, engage stakeholders on reform proposals, and develop recommendations for a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026.
He added that NCC aims to create a modern telecom policy framework capable of promoting innovation, protecting consumers, improving service quality, strengthening investment opportunities, and advancing Nigeria’s digital economy goals.
Maida urged stakeholders to approach the review process with openness, innovation, and collective commitment to positioning Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading digital economies.
