NCC regulatory interventions reshaping Nigeria’s digital economy–Report

 

Maureen Aguta

 

A new independent impact report has found that the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) regulatory interventions are reshaping Nigeria’s digital economy, strengthening the telecommunications sector, and driving progress toward nationwide digital inclusion.

The report, “Regulating for the Future: Telecom Policy, Innovation, and Nigeria’s Digital Inclusion Goals,” evaluates the NCC’s reforms over the past two years and highlights how regulatory action is positioning Africa’s largest economy to meet the National Broadband Plan’s target of 70 per cent penetration by 2025, while advancing the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s vision of a globally competitive digital ecosystem.

Key Findings from the Report

Infrastructure Resilience: Mandatory disaster recovery planning and the designation of telecom systems as Critical National Information Infrastructure are fortifying networks against threats.

Consumer Protection: New tariff and consumer guidelines simplify pricing, mandate transparency, and protect users from hidden charges.

Quality of Service: Revised performance standards enforce stricter benchmarks for calls, data, and complaint resolution, with operators accountable to measurable results.

Market Sustainability: The first tariff adjustment in over a decade restored cost-reflective pricing, unlocking billions in new investment and accelerating 4G/5G and fibre rollout.

Innovation and Local Industry: Faster type approval processes curb grey-market devices and stimulate local hardware innovation.

Opportunities and challenges ahead identified includes, rising cases of vandalisim and fiber cuts; weaknesses in enforcement and real-time monitoring; unequal rural connectivity, and high upgrade costs for smaller operators.

To address these, it recommends deeper inter-agency collaboration, stronger enforcement, incentives for local manufacturing, and targeted rural consumer engagement.

Driving Nigeria’s Digital Future

Commenting on the findings, David Adeleke, Founder and CEO of Communiqué, said: “The telecommunication industry powers so much in Nigeria, from digital commerce to health, agriculture, and creativity. It permeates every aspect of our lives. This report shows how much impact the industry and the NCC’s policies have on our digital future.”

With telecoms already contributing more than 16 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP, the NCC is targeting 22 per cent by 2027. Stronger broadband policies, consumer protections, and infrastructure safeguards are central to achieving this.