NCC Begins Review of Nigeria’s 26-Year-Old Telecoms Policy
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a review of Nigeria’s 26-year-old telecommunications policy, citing the need to align the framework with the realities of the country’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
Speaking on Wednesday at the National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop in Lagos, Hadiza Usman said the existing policy, introduced in 2000, no longer reflects current economic, technological and security realities.
According to Usman, telecommunications has evolved beyond voice communication and now serves as a critical enabler for sectors such as financial technology, digital commerce, healthcare, education, agriculture, innovation, public service delivery and national security.
She warned that outdated and poorly coordinated policies could discourage investment, weaken implementation efforts, create institutional overlaps and reduce national impact.
Usman stated that the revised telecommunications framework must address key issues including broadband penetration, affordability of digital access, quality of service, infrastructure resilience, consumer protection and inclusion of underserved communities.
She also identified fibre cuts, vandalism, multiple taxation, delayed approvals, right-of-way challenges, insecurity and energy constraints as major obstacles hindering the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
The presidential aide stressed that addressing the challenges would require coordinated action involving federal and state governments, regulators, investors, operators and infrastructure providers.
Earlier, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the telecommunications industry had significantly outgrown the assumptions behind the National Telecommunications Policy introduced in 2000.
Maida explained that while the policy initially focused on liberalisation, competition and increased access to telecom services, the sector has since transformed into a broader digital ecosystem supporting banking, commerce, cloud services, entertainment, digital identity systems and government operations.
He added that emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, satellite broadband, cloud infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity regulation have further reshaped the industry.
According to him, the review process will also address persistent structural issues including rural connectivity gaps, multiple taxation, vandalism, high energy costs, fibre cuts and delays in obtaining permits.
Maida said the NCC aims to develop a modern policy framework capable of promoting innovation, protecting consumers, improving service quality, strengthening investment and advancing Nigeria’s digital economy goals.
He noted that the workshop was convened to evaluate the implementation of the existing policy, identify gaps, engage stakeholders and develop recommendations for a new National Telecommunications Policy for 2026.