The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on industry stakeholders and the general public to submit written contributions toward the ongoing review of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, as part of efforts to reposition the country’s communications sector for emerging technological realities.
In a statement issued by the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, stakeholders were urged to review the consultation paper published on the NCC’s official website and submit their inputs on or before Friday, March 20, 2026. Submissions are to be addressed to the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission or sent through the dedicated email channel provided for the exercise.
The Commission explained that the consultation exercise is being conducted in accordance with its statutory responsibilities under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, particularly Section 24(1), which mandates public consultation before the formulation or review of policies governing the Nigerian communications sector.
The policy review followed 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 process of updating the 25-year-old telecommunications framework.
According to the NCC, the review aligned with the Minister’s Strategic Blueprint titled Accelerating Our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency, which prioritises reforms in spectrum management, universal access, broadband expansion, net neutrality, and quality of service delivery across the sector.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, noted in the consultation paper that the exercise mark the first stage toward developing a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026 that will replace the existing NTP 2000 after more than two decades of implementation.
He explained that while the NTP 2000 played a transformative role in expanding Nigeria’s telecom industry—from about 500,000 telephone lines to nearly 180 million active mobile connections the revised policy aims to address emerging challenges, particularly the rising demand for data services and evolving digital technologies.
Maida emphasised that the consultation process would involve multiple stages of engagement to ensure broad-based participation and inclusivity before the draft policy undergoes statutory approval and validation.
“The consultation process is open to licensees in the Nigerian communications sector, consumers, government agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, individuals, and other interested stakeholders,” he said, urged participants to contribute meaningfully to shaping the future of Nigeria’s communications ecosystem.
The Commission further noted that the review is guided by 15 key policy proposals covering industry regulation, sustainability, emerging technologies, and national security considerations, among others.
The existing NTP 2000 marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s telecom liberalisation, replacing the 1998 policy and laying the foundation for market deregulation, competition, and the rapid growth of mobile telephony that followed the enactment of the NCA 2003.
The NCC expressed confidence that stakeholder contributions will help produce a modernised policy framework capable of addressing current sector challenges while sustaining innovation and growth in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
