The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has formally opened consultations for the review of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, calling on stakeholders across the communications ecosystem to submit written contributions toward the policy overhaul.
The Commission confirmed that a consultation paper outlining proposed review areas has been published on its official website. Stakeholders have until Friday, March 20, 2026, to submit memoranda addressed to the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC or via the designated email channel: stakeholders@ncc.gov.ng.
The consultation is being conducted pursuant to the Commission’s statutory mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003. Specifically, Section 24(1) of the Act mandates a public consultative process before the formulation or amendment of general policy in the Nigerian communications sector.
The policy review follows the inauguration of both a Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) and a Ministerial Technical Committee (MTC) by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to initiate the formal revision process of the 25-year-old telecom policy framework.
Section 24(1) of the NCA 2003 provides that prior to reviewing or formulating sector policy, the Minister must direct the Commission to undertake a public consultation exercise on the proposed changes.
The review exercise is also aligned with the Minister’s Strategic Blueprint titled Accelerating Our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency, which prioritizes a reassessment of telecom sector fundamentals including spectrum allocation, broadband expansion, universal access obligations, net neutrality principles, and quality of service standards.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the consultation process will culminate in the drafting of a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026 to replace the NTP 2000 after 25 years of implementation.
Maida noted that the forthcoming draft will undergo further stakeholder engagements before it is presented for statutory approval and validation.
Reflecting on the impact of the 2000 policy, Maida stated that it transformed Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape from fewer than 500,000 connected lines to nearly 180 million active mobile connections as of December 2026. However, he acknowledged that evolving demands—particularly surging data consumption and its economic externalities—necessitate structural policy updates.
He emphasized that the current phase represents only the initial layer of consultations, with additional rounds of engagement planned to ensure that industry operators, consumers, civil society organisations, international partners, and government agencies contribute to shaping the final document.
The original NTP 2000 marked a departure from the 1998 telecom framework and laid the foundation for liberalisation, competition, and market deregulation. It paved the way for mobile telephony expansion and the eventual enactment of the NCA 2003.
The ongoing review features 15 core policy propositions addressing regulatory sustainability, emerging technologies, sector resilience, and national security considerations.
The Commission reiterated that the consultation remains open to licensees, consumers, government institutions, civil society groups, international agencies, and private individuals seeking to influence the next chapter of Nigeria’s communications sector development.
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