The Federal Government has granted approval to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) proposal to commence a review of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Usman, who announced this in Lagos on Tuesday during a National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop organised by the NCC, noted that it is a law that has guided the country’s telecom sector for over two decades.
This was as the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stated that Nigeria’s telecom industry has grown far beyond the framework of the 2000 National Telecommunications Policy.
Dr. Maida noted that the original policy was designed when the focus was on opening up the sector, increasing access, promoting competition, and encouraging private investment, adding that the industry has now expanded into a full digital ecosystem that supports banking, commerce, education, entertainment, cloud computing, digital identity systems, and government operations.
Buttress her points, Usman emphasised that the review has become necessary as Nigeria can no longer depend on old telecom regulations if it wants to build a strong and competitive digital economy.
She noted that the ICT sector has changed greatly over the years, adding areas such as the economy, technology, security, and citizens’ expectations have all evolved beyond what existed when the law was first created.
Usman also said that telecommunications is no longer limited to phone calls alone, but now plays a key role in financial services, digital trade, education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, innovation, public services, and even national security coordination.
In the words of Usman; “A policy that was fit for purpose in the year 2000 cannot simply be assumed to remain adequate in 2026. When policies are outdated or poorly coordinated, they often create confusion in implementation, lead to overlapping duties among agencies, discourage investment, and reduce the overall impact of government actions.
“Policies should not just exist as official documents, but must serve as clear guides for regulators, investors, and citizens on how the system is meant to work,” she said.
The presidential adviser further said that when there is no clarity in policy direction, implementation becomes inconsistent, just as responsibilities overlap while public institutions struggle to achieve real development results.
Accordingly, Usman demanded for the new policy to focus on issues such as broadband expansion, affordable internet access, better service quality, stronger consumer protection, improved infrastructure, and inclusion of underserved communities.
She also stressed the need for stronger cooperation between federal and state governments, local authorities, regulators, investors, and telecom operators to speed up sector growth and cautioned that the review should not be treated as a routine regulatory exercise, but as part of a broader national development strategy tied to economic reforms.
Usman pointedly stated that the federal government is now more focused on linking policy creation with implementation, monitoring, and measurable outcomes across all levels of administration.
In the words of Usman; “The proposed National Public Policy Development and Management Framework is coming at the right time to help close existing gaps through structured planning, evaluation, and evidence-based decision making”.
In his own speech, the NCC Executive Vice chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, said the telecoms sector is now shaped by modern technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, satellite internet, cloud infrastructure, Internet of Things, and cybersecurity systems.
Maida explained that this is no longer a narrow telecommunications conversation with just one sector within the economy, but a productivity infrastructure for the entire economy.
The NCC EVC further said that the review is important to maintain competition, ensure universal access, protect consumers, and support innovation and investment, saying that challenges such as fibre cuts, vandalism, high energy costs, multiple taxation, delays in permits, and poor rural connectivity must be addressed in the new policy.
Maida said; “These issues now affect national development because they reduce the quality and reliability of digital services across the country”.
He said the workshop aims to review the current policy, identify gaps, engage stakeholders, and develop recommendations for a new National Telecommunications Policy set for 2026, adding that the goal is to build a modern framework that will strengthen innovation, improve service quality, protect consumers, attract investment, and support Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
Maida urged stakeholders to take part in the process with openness and a shared commitment to improving Nigeria’s position as a leading digital economy in Africa.
