Nigeria Moves to Overhaul Telecom Policy Amid Digital Era Demands

The Nigerian Communications Commission has launched a sweeping review of the country’s telecommunications policy, 26 years after the current framework was introduced.

The Commission announced the review on Monday, releasing a consultation paper to gather input from stakeholders.

Officials say the move is necessary as rapid technological changes and market realities have rendered the existing regime outdated.

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According to the NCC, the exercise aims to align Nigeria’s telecom policy with modern digital services, broadband expansion, satellite communications, and internet governance, while reinforcing the sector’s role as a driver of economic growth.

The National Telecommunications Policy of 2000 replaced the 1998 framework and ushered in full market liberalisation. It dismantled the monopoly of Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, which had been plagued by obsolete infrastructure and poor service quality, and paved the way for GSM licensing in 2001 and 2002.

The policy also laid the foundation for the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003, which established a statutory framework for regulation. Since then, the sector has attracted billions in foreign direct investment, driven mobile penetration, and enabled e-commerce, digital financial services, and the broader digital economy.

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The new review is expected to update several chapters of the policy, including internet regulation to address online safety and clearer rules for digital platforms, satellite communications to harmonise terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, and financing measures to stimulate growth amid ongoing tax reforms.

A new chapter is also proposed to tackle broadband objectives, protection of critical infrastructure, harmonisation of right-of-way charges, and a one-stop permitting process for telecom infrastructure deployment.

Despite the sector’s growth, the high cost of right-of-way remains a major obstacle to infrastructure rollout. Data from the Commission show telecom operators’ operating costs surged by 85 per cent to ₦5.85 trillion in 2024, largely due to right-of-way charges.

Officials say the inclusion of a dedicated chapter on the issue in the revised policy could ease the burden and accelerate expansion.