Nigeria Reviews 26-Year-Old Telecoms Policy

Why this is here: The existing national telecommunications policy guiding Nigeria’s sector dates back 26 years to 2000, prompting the current review.

Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, announced a review of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Policy of 2000 in Lagos. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy are collaborating on the effort. Usman explained the 2000 policy needs updating to address current technological and economic changes within the country.

The review aims to bridge the digital gap and improve public services. Participants discussed modernizing frameworks to support digital trade, financial technology, and other evolving needs.

The NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, noted the shift from simply overseeing telecommunications to enabling broader digital transformation for Nigeria.

Stakeholders from agencies like the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and National Information Technology Development Agency support the initiative. Identifying coverage gaps, weak service quality, and infrastructure vulnerabilities remains crucial to the policy’s success. The work to create a resilient, digitized economy continues.