More than 20 years after liberalisation, Nigeria’s communications sector is advocating extensive policy reforms to tackle emerging technologies, infrastructure deficits and the pressures of a rapidly changing digital economy, writes JUSTICE OKAMGBA
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is preparing for a major policy reset as regulators, policymakers and stakeholders push for a fresh framework to address the realities of an evolving digital economy more than two decades after the introduction of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000.
The call for reforms was explored at the National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission in Lagos last week, where government officials and industry leaders argued that the policy framework which guided the liberalisation and expansion of the sector in the early 2000s can no longer adequately address the demands of today’s digital ecosystem.
For example, the 2000 policy does not cover 5G, broadband‑dependent applications, platform‑driven digital services, and emerging non‑terrestrial networks such as satellite/LEO communications. The workshop brought together regulators, operators, development institutions, policymakers, academics and technology stakeholders to review the implementation of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 and begin discussions around a proposed National Telecommunications Policy 2026.
Delivering the keynote address, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, Usman Bala, said the review process represented more than a routine sectoral exercise, describing it as a national development assignment tied to the country’s broader economic and governance priorities.
According to her, telecommunications has evolved from a standalone communications sector into a foundational platform supporting commerce, public services, education, healthcare, financial inclusion, innovation, security coordination and national productivity.
“The National Telecommunications Policy 2000 was developed at a defining moment in Nigeria’s reform journey,” the official said. “It supported the liberalisation of the sector, encouraged private investment, enabled competition, and helped transform telecommunications from a limited public service into one of the most dynamic sectors of the Nigerian economy.”
She noted, however, that Nigeria’s economy, technology landscape and citizen expectations have changed significantly since the policy was introduced over two decades ago.
“What was once largely understood as voice connectivity has become the foundation for digital trade, e-commerce, financial technology, digital identity, public service delivery, education, health, agriculture, security, disaster response, innovation, and job creation,” she said.
Attendees at the forum argued that the assumptions underpinning the 2000 framework no longer reflect the realities of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, satellite broadband, cloud infrastructure, the Internet of Things and data-driven digital services.
Declaring the workshop open, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said the sector had passed through multiple phases of development since the introduction of the original policy.
The industry in 2000 was defined by limited access, low teledensity and a largely state-controlled market dominated by NITEL with fewer than 500,000 active telephone lines serving a population of over 120 million people at the time.
“Within a decade, Nigeria moved from scarcity to rapid expansion, from limited fixed lines to tens of millions of active connections, and from monopoly to one of Africa’s most dynamic telecommunications markets,” Maida said.
He explained that the sector later transitioned into a network-building era focused on broadband expansion, fibre deployment, infrastructure sharing, spectrum planning and quality of service improvements.
However, he noted that the expansion phase also exposed deeper structural challenges that continue to affect the industry, including fibre cuts, infrastructure vandalism, high energy costs, multiple taxation, permitting delays and persistent rural connectivity gaps.
“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,” he said.
Maida stated that telecoms has now entered the era of advanced regulatory frontiers, where regulation must address increasingly complex issues involving cybersecurity, digital trust, artificial intelligence, critical national information infrastructure, sustainable investment and cross-sector digital integration.
“This is no longer a narrow telecommunications conversation,” he said. “Telecommunications is no longer just one sector within the economy; it is productivity infrastructure for the entire economy.”
According to the NCC boss, the review process seeks to preserve the enduring principles of the 2000 policy – competition, universal access, independent regulation and consumer protection – while developing a more modern framework capable of supporting broadband expansion, innovation, investment, infrastructure resilience and digital inclusion.
Stakeholders at the workshop stressed that the revised policy must also strengthen coordination across government institutions and eliminate longstanding implementation bottlenecks affecting infrastructure deployment and service delivery.
Usman said one of the major lessons from public policy implementation is that national objectives cannot be achieved through isolated institutional action.
“The telecommunications sector illustrates this very clearly,” she said. “Issues such as right of way, fibre deployment, infrastructure protection, taxation, multiple levies, energy supply, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, digital literacy, rural access, and public service digitisation require a whole-of-government approach.”
She emphasised that policy effectiveness depends not only on the quality of policy drafting but also on implementation mechanisms, institutional coordination, performance management systems and measurable outcomes.
According to her, the review aligns with broader efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen governance through improved policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation across ministries, departments and agencies.
The official referenced the proposed National Public Policy Development and Management Framework, which seeks to standardise policy development processes and strengthen implementation discipline across government institutions.
“In simple terms, the framework is designed to ensure that policy is not treated as a one-off document but as a living instrument of governance,” she said.
Industry operators at the workshop also highlighted the growing importance of regulatory certainty and infrastructure protection as Nigeria attempts to deepen digital connectivity and attract long-term private investment into the sector.
The NCC noted that deeper digitalisation across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, trade, transport and public administration could significantly boost economic growth, job creation and government revenue.
Citing estimates by the GSMA, Maida said improved digitalisation could add around two percentage points to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product by 2028, create nearly two million jobs and generate an additional N1.6tn in tax revenue.
“We must move beyond celebrating connected lines alone,” he said. “We must now focus on cross-sectoral productivity, digital adoption, quality of experience, and GDP growth enabled by meaningful connectivity.”
Participants also stressed the need for stronger consumer protection frameworks, improved data governance, cybersecurity coordination and affordable digital access for underserved communities.
Usman said the revised policy must place citizens at the centre by addressing affordability, service quality, digital literacy and inclusion gaps that continue to affect rural and low-income populations.
“Telecommunications policy must ultimately be judged by its impact on people,” she said. “It must matter to the student in a rural community who needs access to digital learning; the farmer who needs market information; the small business owner who depends on digital payments; the young innovator building a technology solution; and the patient seeking remote medical advice.”
She added that the revised framework must also provide practical implementation roadmaps with defined institutional responsibilities, timelines, funding arrangements, reporting systems and measurable indicators to ensure accountability.
“The real test of a policy begins after the document has been approved,” she said. “Approval is important, but approval is not delivery.”
