Nigeria Can't Wait Another 20 Years for Updated Telecoms Policy, Presidency Warns

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared that the nation can no longer afford to rely on obsolete regulatory frameworks, asserting that the country cannot wait another two decades to rewrite its national telecommunications policy,

The warning was delivered by Hadiza Bala Usman, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, during her keynote address at a high-level National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) Review Workshop organized by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Lagos.

The workshop marks the official commencement of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory overhaul of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000, which has remained largely unchanged for 26 years despite monumental shifts in global technology.

Adapting to a Changed Digital Landscape

Usman emphasized that while the 2000 policy successfully broke state monopolies, attracted landmark private investments, and laid the foundation for the GSM revolution, it was designed for an era dominated by basic voice calls and dial-up connectivity.

"More than two decades later, Nigeria has changed. Technology has changed. The economy has changed. The expectations of citizens have changed," Usman stated. "A policy is not merely a document. Unclear or outdated policies often lead to poor coordination, duplication of responsibilities, weak implementation, and reduced impact."

The Presidency stressed that the revised policy must transition from static regulatory text into a dynamic framework built around actionable metrics, including:

• Measurable Targets: Clear, data-backed benchmarks for digital adoption across subnational levels.
• Definite Timelines: Strict implementation schedules to prevent bureaucratic stagnation.
• Cross-Agency Accountability: Explicitly assigned institutional responsibilities to eliminate regulatory overlap between government bodies.
• Secured Funding Models: Well-defined infrastructure financing structures to support universal broadband expansion.

The Economic Stakes of the Overhaul

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, highlighted the massive economic implications of the policy review. Citing data from a recent GSMA report, Maida disclosed that deeper digitalization across critical sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, and public governance, is projected to inject approximately ₦1.6 trillion in additional tax revenue and create up to two million jobs by 2028.

Maida noted that emerging socio-economic realities such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity threats, data sovereignty, and technological convergence have fundamentally transformed the sector.

The policy choices made during this review cycle, the NCC boss added, will ultimately determine Nigeria's long-term capability to formalize small businesses, broaden its tax base, protect critical national national infrastructure, and maintain its position as a leading digital hub on the African continent.