NCC opens public consultation on telecoms policy review

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has invited industry stakeholders to submit written inputs on the ongoing review of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, following the publication of a consultation paper on its website.

The Commission fixed Friday, March 20, 2026, as the deadline for submissions, which are to be addressed to the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO or sent via email to [email protected]. The consultation is being conducted in line with the provisions of Section 24 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA), which mandates public consultation prior to the formulation or review of general policy in the communications sector.

The review process follows the inauguration of a Ministerial Steering Committee and a Ministerial Technical Committee by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to commence the formal reassessment of the NTP 2000. The updated policy is also expected to align with the Minister’s Strategic Blueprint, which emphasises improvements in spectrum management, universal access, broadband penetration, net neutrality, and quality of service.

According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, the consultation will culminate in the development of a draft National Telecommunications Policy 2026 to replace the existing framework after 25 years of implementation. He noted that the draft would undergo further stakeholder engagements before it is subjected to statutory approval and validation processes.

Maida observed that the NTP 2000 had played a transformative role in Nigeria’s telecom sector, growing active mobile connections from about 500,000 lines to nearly 180 million as of December 2026. However, he identified rising demand for data services and related challenges as key gaps the revised policy seeks to address.

He emphasised that the consultation process is open to licensees, consumers, government agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, individuals, and other interested stakeholders.

The NTP 2000 marked a significant shift toward liberalisation, market deregulation, and competition, replacing the 1998 policy and paving the way for mobile telephony expansion and the enactment of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. The current review features 15 key policy proposals covering regulation, industry sustainability, emerging technologies, national security, and other critical areas aimed at positioning the communications sector for future growth.