NCC EVC, Maida commends Attorneys-General to bolster the law, others for technology and governance to thrive

 

As technology continues to grow in leaps and bounds, regulators are focused on advanced frontiers such as AI governance, digital resilience, and sustainable connectivity, hence the Chairman /CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida, commended the Attorneys-General Annual Workshop which he describes as significant milestone in the efforts to foster collaboration between the legal community and the regulatory ecosystem driving Nigeria’s digital future.

Dr. Maida gave the commendation while speaking in his opening remarks at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Annual Workshop for Attorneys General with the theme: Building and Driving Synergy in Regulating Communications for the Digital Transformation of Nigeria” held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

EVC NCC expressed sincere gratitude to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN for his leadership and commitment, noting that no sector, especially one as dynamic and impactful as communications, can be effectively regulated in isolation.

“The communications sector remains a vital enabler of innovation, commerce, governance, and inclusion. However, to fully unlock its potential, we must tackle a range of challenges that cut across legal, regulatory, fiscal, and operational domains.

“This is where your role, as Attorneys-General, becomes critical. You are not only the Chief Law Officers of your states; you are also policy influencers and key partners in shaping the legal frameworks that support national development. Your insights and guidance help ensure that innovation happens within a structure that promotes fairness, accountability, and long-term stability,” he said.

According to him, since the early 2000s, communications regulation has evolved through distinct phases—from liberalising markets and establishing independent regulators, to expanding broadband infrastructure and fostering universal access.

In the 2010s, he further stated, that attention shifted to protecting consumers, enabling digital financial services, and addressing cross sectoral challenges, stressing that today, regulators are focused on advanced frontiers such as AI governance, digital resilience, and sustainable connectivity.

He explained that throughout this journey, one constant remains: collaborative, forward looking regulation is essential to sustaining innovation and inclusive digital growth.

Dr. Maida hinted that the workshop has been designed to address some of the most pressing issues in the sector including: “A review of the Nigerian Communications Act (2003): We will reflect on its strengths, limitations, and areas for reform to ensure it remains fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving digital age.

“Streamlining taxation in the communications sector: The issue of multiple and inconsistent taxes continues to deter investment. We must work together to harmonize tax regimes and remove disincentives to growth.

“Addressing regulatory overlaps: Fragmented oversight creates confusion and inefficiencies. Our goal is to explore reforms that enhance coordination and legal clarity across agencies.”

He highlighted that following the 2024 Executive Order signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the designation of communications infrastructure as CNII gives the nation a new framework for collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders, urging them to operationalize it effectively.

He affirmed that as Nigeria accelerates its digital transformation, underpinned by technologies such as AI, IoT, and high-speed connectivity, the challenges will grow more complex, but so too will the opportunities.

He stated that to succeed, there is a need to adopt a Whole-of-Government approach that leverages the strengths of all institutions—federal and state, adding that the Commission is committed to working with them to align regulatory actions with broader national goals.

“We believe the Attorneys-General have a strategic role to play—not just in interpreting the law, but in shaping an enabling legal environment where technology and governance work in tandem.

“This workshop is just the beginning. We hope it will become an annual platform for knowledge exchange, mutual understanding, and joint problem-solving. I am confident that the conversations we start here will lead to stronger partnerships and better outcomes for the Nigerian people,” Dr. Maida emphasized.

In his keynote address on building and driving synergy in regulating communications for digital transformation in Nigeria, Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General Of The Federation & Minister Of Justice commended the Nigerian Communications Commission for its foresight in pulling together the Chief Law Officers of the Federation together to engage and exchange ideas on this platform, which is aimed at identifying and bridging knowledge gap with respect to regulatory frameworks, and strengthening mechanisms for regulating communications in Nigeria as a panacea for digital transformation.

Fagbemi emphasized that digital transformation is critical to improvement in socio-economic development of a nation, adding that a well regulated communications sector implies enacting and implementing laws and regulations that ensure protection of rights including right to privacy, data protection and consumer rights as well as regulations that support the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

According to the Minister, the justice and judicial sector are therefore critical components for regulating communications in Nigeria, noting that this inevitably entails upholding the rule of law by providing level playing fields for actors in the communications sector, preventing the exploitation of consumer rights through strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks and streamlining penal dispensation with a view to ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.

He affirmed that particular attention must be given to measures to curtail the destruction of infrastructure, by ensuring offenders are brought to book.

He hinted that that Nigeria’s communications sector remains one of the dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors, while citing a recent data from the Nigeria Communications Commission, that Nigeria has over 220Million active voice subscriptions as of Q1 2025, with broadband penetration now over 52%.

“This connectivity supports everything from remote education to financial inclusion in both urban and rural areas. This administration is focused on leveraging advancement in the communications sector as a tool for development and transformation of the economy.

“However, this transformation is being hindered by some critical recurring challenges including, multiple taxation and levies imposed by federal, state and local authorities; wanton destruction of telecommunications infrastructure, especially in conflict-prone areas; regulatory overlaps that confuse operators and complicate compliance; slow broadband infrastructure roll-out which is due in part to right-of-way challenges and inconsistent state policies, among others,” Fagbemi stated.

He cited specifically, certain unfortunate incidents that have been recorded such as the Ogun State Multiple taxation incident in 2024 which saw the temporary suspension of expansion projects as a result of overlapping local government levies, as well as vandalization of base stations in Kano in 2023, stressing that these incidents constitute economic sabotage, negatively impact the development of the communications sector and hinder digital transformation in the country.

The Minister acknowledged that it is therefore critical that the three arms of Government, as stakeholders cooperate and collaborate to address these issues and ensure improved regulation of the communications sector for enhanced socio-economic development.

The legislature, according to him, must review and strengthen laws that protect infrastructure and support the communications sector; the executive reinforce measures aimed at implementing these laws; while the judiciary is also a key stakeholder in ensuring offenders and saboteurs are made to face the full wrath of the law.

He explained that these measures are not only to be adopted at the Federal level, but the State governments should also play key roles through institutional and governmental cooperation in order to eliminate some of these challenges.

“In 2023 when Anambra State proactively adopted a unified right-of-way policy, resulting in a 38% increase in fibre optic expansion within 6months. Proactive measures like these are laudable and I encourage all stakeholders to support the developmental efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission,” he added.

Fagbemi recommended that stakeholders work towards adopting strategies and mechanisms that enhance synergy in regulating communications for the digital transformation in Nigeria, adding “These include legal and policy harmonization, creation of a Federal-State regulatory coordination forum, adopting uniform Right of Way (ROW) Policy Implementation, joint enforcement of laws that protect infrastructure and consolidation of digital taxation framework.”

He described the Attorneys-General as Chief Law Officers under the constitution that are uniquely placed to drive synergy and urged them to advise their respective governments on policies that affect the digital economy, ensure that our laws and enforcement actions are constitutionally sound and support dispute resolution mechanisms that prevent prolonged litigation.

“We must also work to champion data privacy, cyber security and digital rights enforcement at the State level,” he stated.

He tasked the Honourable Attorneys-General on commitment to working together with the Nigerian Communications Commission and relevant stakeholders to deliver on the vision of a transformed communications sector, for enhanced socio-economic development of our nation.