FG Begins Review of 26-Year-Old National Telecom Policy, Proposes 15 Major Changes

15 Major Changes Proposed to 26-Year-Old Framework

The Federal Government has launched a review of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Policy, more than a quarter of a century after it was first enacted in 2000. The overhaul proposes 15 major changes targeting fibre cuts, tariffs, and infrastructure protection.

The review is being led by the Presidency in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), with industry stakeholders invited to submit input. The current policy was written when mobile penetration was still in single digits and broadband was barely a concept in Nigeria.

Key areas flagged include protections for fibre optic cables — which suffer routine damage from road construction and digging — along with tariff frameworks, spectrum management, and the infrastructure needed to support 5G rollout and data centre growth.

Playing Catch-Up

The NCC had earlier begun consultations in February, but the Presidency-level involvement announced today signals that the review has been elevated to a national priority. Nigeria’s telecom sector has exploded since 2000 — from fewer than one million connected lines to over 220 million mobile subscriptions — but the regulatory framework has not kept pace.

Industry groups have long complained that fibre cuts alone cost operators billions of naira annually. The new policy is expected to address that through stiffer penalties and clearer right-of-way rules.

The review also comes as the NCC pushes forward with its Digital Switch Over and as debates around data pricing and quality of service intensify. For a country that now runs on mobile internet, the stakes are hard to overstate.

Sources: Daily Trust, TechCabal, BusinessDay