Nigeria Plans Telecom Reforms After 26 Years

Earlier this week, particularly on Wednesday, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced plans to review the nation’s 26-year-old telecommunications policy. It proposed 15 significant reforms that could drastically alter broadband deployment, internet competition, mobile tariffs, online safety, and network quality for millions of subscribers.

Many Nigerians are dealing with declining call quality, erratic internet connections, and ongoing service interruptions, which are mostly caused by national infrastructure failures. The proposed National Telecommunications Policy 2026 is anticipated to be finalized before the year ends.

The NCC reports that 19,384 fibre-optic cable cuts occurred in Nigeria in 2025 alone, which exacerbated connection issues and led to frequent outages across the country. As of 2026, 5,934 fibre cuts have already been reported in the first quarter.

Increased internet usage is another factor contributing to the increasing burden on networks. In the first quarter of 2026, Nigerians used more than 4 billion gigabytes of data, but the NCC revealed that only roughly 25% of the year’s scheduled network site upgrades had been finished, leaving a large portion of the nation’s 4G infrastructure overworked and crowded.

According to industry stakeholders, the increased pressure is becoming more apparent during moments of peak demand, with many subscribers reporting intermittent connectivity, lost calls, reduced internet speeds, and service throttling.

At a policy review workshop in Lagos, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida stated, “Nigeria’s telecommunications sector was at a very different stage of development when the National Telecommunications Policy 2000 was introduced.” 

He continued, as he emphasized that the market has surpassed what was expected of that era.

According to Maida, the industry has now entered what he called “the era of advanced regulatory frontiers,” where regulators must oversee the quick development of technologies like cloud infrastructure, 5G, satellite broadband, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.

This conversation is no longer limited to telecommunications. He stated that telecommunications is now the productivity infrastructure for the entire economy, not just one sector.”

In contrast to the original 2000 strategy, which mostly concentrated on increasing access to telephone and internet services, one of the most significant improvements recommended under the new framework is a stronger emphasis on consumer protection and online safety. 

As Nigeria’s digital economy grows, officials are looking for more authority under the updated policy to address online frauds, dangerous digital platforms, cyber threats, and other internet-related dangers.

Stronger competition laws, better spectrum management for 5G and future technologies, infrastructure cooperation between telecom companies, national roaming agreements, and more open tariff regulation are all included in the planned revisions.

According to the NCC, the framework would also facilitate the integration of satellite broadband services, help local telecom manufacturing, foster IoT and artificial intelligence innovation, and create a Digital Innovation Fund to assist entrepreneurs and research projects.

The proposed framework aims to improve the legal safeguards for telecom facilities classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), such as fibre-optic cables and telecom towers, which are increasingly vulnerable to unintentional damage and vandalism.

Fibre cuts, various taxes, right-of-way constraints, and growing energy expenses are driving up the cost of maintaining and growing networks across the country, as telecom companies have frequently warned.

According to reports, the cost of diesel used to power telecom infrastructure has increased from ₦1,770 ($1.29) to ₦1,850 ($1.34) per litre, further straining the operation within the sector.

Another key reform in the proposed 2026 policy is the overhaul introduces tariff transparency with structured, cost-reflective pricing to balance operator viability and consumer protections while also expanding technology by accelerating 5G, satellite broadband, and AI to move millions of rural users off legacy 2G and 3G networks.

Maida further stated that the national development issues include fiber cuts, vandalism, high energy costs, multiple taxes, permitting delays, and persistent gaps between urban and rural connectivity.

In order to lower infrastructure deployment costs and speed up broadband development, regulators are proposing harmonized right-of-way fees and a simplified one-stop permitting process across federal, state, and municipal governments.

Rather than just increasing internet access, the policy review also implies a broader regulatory change towards what authorities refer to as “meaningful connectivity.”

For underprivileged groups that are still shut out of the nation’s expanding digital economy, this entails a greater emphasis on digital literacy, affordability, cybersecurity, and digital inclusion.

As telecom networks increasingly interact with financial services, digital identity systems, cloud infrastructure, and data protection, the NCC said regulators would also improve cooperation with organizations like the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

Ernest Ndukwe, a former executive vice chairman of the NCC and current chairman of MTN Nigeria, stated that the updated framework needs to be adaptable enough to quickly change with technology.

Given how quickly technology is developing and changing, this new guideline shouldn’t be overly restrictive. Ndukwe stated that while effective regulation is crucial, it must also be flexible.