Digitnomics 
By Nonye Ngoka,
Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital ecosystem may require a broader policy rethink beyond traditional telecom regulation as emerging technologies, digital platforms and converging services continue to reshape the communications landscape.
This position emerged during a panel session on Nigeria’s telecommunications policy evolution and future direction, where former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Paul Usoro, advocated a more flexible and future-facing regulatory framework.
The experts argued that while Nigeria’s telecom reforms of the early 2000s transformed the industry and unlocked investment, current realities driven by digital services and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms demand policy modernization and broader regulatory thinking.
Usoro, who played a key role in the legal and policy processes that supported telecom liberalisation, raised concerns over whether Nigeria’s existing policy orientation still reflects the realities of today’s communications environment.
According to him, the industry has evolved far beyond its original voice-service foundation into a digitally interconnected ecosystem powered by internet platforms, data services and emerging technologies.
“Today, however, we are dealing with entirely new realities, including OTT platforms and emerging digital technologies. This raises an important question: should we still be talking about a telecom policy, or should we now be thinking in terms of a broader communications or digital economy policy?” Usoro said.
His remarks come amid ongoing discussions around policy review and efforts to position Nigeria’s digital economy for long-term competitiveness and innovation-driven growth.
Usoro emphasized the relationship between policy and legislation, noting that sustainable regulation begins with strong and forward-looking policy direction.
“The legal framework must necessarily flow from the policy,” he said.
He cited Nigeria’s telecom reform journey as evidence of this principle, explaining that the National Telecommunications Policy introduced in 2000 eventually provided the foundation for the Nigerian Communications Act enacted in 2003.
According to him, future policy frameworks must be designed with sufficient clarity and adaptability to support evolving market realities and technological disruptions.
“As we review the policy, it is important to ensure that its contents are capable of being reflected effectively in the law. The policy must contain directives that will continue to drive the growth of the industry,” he added.
Usoro commended aspects of the 2000 policy, particularly provisions that strengthened the authority of the NCC and reinforced regulatory certainty.
He noted that the policy empowered the Commission to make decisions on licensing, tariff regulation, interconnection and dispute resolution—factors that proved critical to investor confidence during the liberalisation era.
While reflecting on the sector’s historical development, he acknowledged the shortcomings associated with the former Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) but maintained that the organisation played an important infrastructure role during its time.
“Despite the criticisms, we cannot ignore the fact that NITEL built a significant portion of the infrastructure that still exists today,” he said.
Providing historical context, Ndukwe traced Nigeria’s telecom journey from the colonial telegraph era to the market liberalisation reforms that opened the sector to competition.
He recalled that despite decades of state control and the establishment of NITEL as a monopoly operator, telecommunications penetration remained severely limited.
By 2000, Nigeria had only about 400,000 connected fixed lines serving an estimated population of 120 million, with many of those lines concentrated within government institutions and corporate organisations.
“At the time, Nigeria ranked among countries with the lowest teledensity in the world,” Ndukwe said.
According to him, the telecom policy reforms introduced in 2000 and the subsequent licensing of digital mobile operators in 2001 changed the sector’s trajectory, encouraging competition, investment and rapid network expansion.
However, he warned that future growth will depend on policy frameworks capable of adapting to accelerating technological change.
Ndukwe cautioned policymakers against developing rigid or technology-specific regulations that could quickly become outdated.
“We should not be too prescriptive of technology. It must be such that we remain relevant,” he said.
He stressed that rapid innovation now requires continuous policy review and adaptive regulation.
“The regular review I have suggested is useful and I think it is worth doing. The new policy that we are now developing should not be too prescriptive on technology because technology changes so quickly,” he added.
Beyond technology neutrality, Ndukwe identified strong enabling legislation, regulatory independence and stakeholder engagement as essential pillars for sustainable industry growth.
He warned that political or administrative interference in regulatory institutions could weaken investor confidence and disrupt market development.
“Regulators must be protected from political and administrative interference in order to maintain the confidence of investors, consumers and other stakeholders,” he said.
He further emphasized that consultation must remain central to regulatory decision-making, noting that stakeholder engagement played a major role in shaping earlier NCC reforms, including spectrum auctions and licensing frameworks.
At the same time, he cautioned against prolonged regulatory indecision.
“Delayed decisions can discourage investment and slow down sectoral growth,” Ndukwe warned.
The panel discussion adds momentum to wider conversations on telecom policy review and the broader question of how Nigeria can build a regulatory framework that supports both telecommunications growth and the expanding digital economy.
