Nigeria targets better, inclusive internet connectivity with telecoms policy review

The federal government is set to review the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) for the first time in twenty-five years. This comes as the government prepares to replace the ‘outdated’ NTP 2000 with a revised policy to reflect the realities of Nigeria’s telecoms industry. 

According to the consultation paper made available by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has set up a Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) and a Ministerial Technical Committee (MTC) to begin the process. 

The review comes at a time when the industry has survived 25 years since the policy was last reviewed (2000). 

The NTP 2000 came into effect before the GSM Licensing (2001/2002). The policy, at that time, targeted to have a total of 1.2 million subscribers in two years. The industry today has nearly 180 million telecom subscribers and 148.2 million internet subscribers, according to the latest industry data.

As outlined in the paper, the committee will aim to reflect the current realities in the proposed policy. This includes setting new objectives for improved internet experience and deepening connectivity for Nigerian subscribers, especially in unserved and remote communities.

Also Read: NCC, NDPC sign MoU to strengthen data protection and privacy in telecoms.

NTP review will improve the internet experience for Nigerians

As contained in the consultation paper, the revised policy aims to address key issues affecting the telecoms industry. It noted that “these Fifteen (15) Policy Proposals are based on identified gaps, shortcomings and proposed areas of improvement of the NTP after the Policy Impact Analysis (PIA).”

The industry has, over the years, moved from a state-controlled, “slow-moving telecom sector” to a vibrant, competitive, and rapidly growing digital economy.

However, challenges such as slowing broadband connectivity, dropped calls, network outages, telecoms infrastructure vandalism, alleged data depletion claims and low 5G-network penetration have influenced the industry’s growth.

The goal is to revisit the policy, restructure the framework to reflect industry realities and address the stated issues. 

As stated in the paper, all 15 Policy Proposals are deduced from an in-depth PIA conducted by the Implementation Committee (IC) set up by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.” With this, the recommendations, set to be reviewed by industry stakeholders, are expected to address key concerns. 

For instance, the committee will review Chapter 2 of the policy by adding new objectives, removing outdated ones and addressing current challenges impacting the digital economy.

This will align with President Tinubu’s administration’s target of a $1 trillion digital economy.

Similarly, a review of Chapter 4 will introduce more measures to enhance competition and competitiveness in the sector. 

For subscribers, this is a concerning aspect that’ll encourage more players to join the market, improve services, steer competition and encourage competitive pricing. It comes at a time when consumers need better network and internet speeds. 

The committee is also proposing a new chapter on broadband objectives. This will ensure the protection of broadband assets as Critical National Infrastructure. It will also lead to the harmonisation of Right of Ways (RoWs) across all tiers of government.

This comes amid frequent cases of telecom infrastructure vandalism, which has threatened Nigeria’s digital economy and disrupted daily business operations. Recall that last week, the NCC and NSCDC threatened legal action against road construction companies over cable cuts.

The proposed new chapter should close the identified gaps.

From now till March 20, 2026, interested stakeholders are invited to respond to the policy review consultation before a first draft of the NTP 2026 is released. 

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