The Nigerian telecoms landscape may be poised for a transformative overhaul following a landmark meeting between the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida. The two leaders emphasized the urgent need for institutional synergy to resolve long-standing challenges that have deterred investment and slowed digital advancement in Nigeria.
Speaking at the First Annual Workshop for Attorneys-General on Emerging Issues in the Communications Sector held in Lagos, both officials reiterated that sustainable growth in the sector hinges on harmonized laws, infrastructure protection, fair taxation, and proactive governance.
In his keynote address, AGF Fagbemi highlighted how Nigeria’s communications sector—boasting over 220 million voice subscribers and 52% broadband penetration—is a powerful engine for economic growth. However, he warned that unresolved legal, fiscal, and infrastructural challenges continue to frustrate digital development.
“Digital transformation is a vital driver of economic development. But this potential is being hindered by multiple taxation, vandalism, regulatory overlap, and inconsistent state-level policies,” he said.
Citing examples such as the 2024 multiple taxation crisis in Ogun State and vandalism of telecom infrastructure in Kano, Fagbemi described these incidents as “economic sabotage” and called for urgent federal-state collaboration to avoid recurrence.
He also referenced Anambra State’s success with unified Right-of-Way (RoW) policy, which led to a 38% increase in fibre optic deployment within six months—a model he encouraged other states to emulate.
In his remarks, Dr. Maida stressed that collaboration between the judiciary, executive, and regulators is not optional but necessary to unlock the telecom sector’s full potential.
“The legal sector plays a critical role in shaping the regulatory frameworks that foster innovation, protect consumer rights, and attract investment. No agency can solve these issues in isolation,” Maida stated.
Maida traced the sector’s regulatory evolution from market liberalization in the early 2000s to emerging priorities like AI governance, cybersecurity, and sustainable connectivity.
He laid out key action areas:
Reviewing the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) to align with present-day digital realities
Streamlining telecom taxation to remove investor disincentives
Operationalizing Executive Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII)
Preventing regulatory duplication to ease compliance burden
Both leaders proposed the creation of a Federal-State Regulatory Coordination Forum, which would oversee implementation of a uniform Right-of-Way (RoW) policy, enable joint enforcement of telecom laws, and consolidate Nigeria’s digital taxation framework.
AGF Fagbemi emphasized that Attorneys-General are uniquely placed to drive this transformation. “We must ensure our policies are constitutionally sound and enforcement mechanisms strong,” he urged.
He called on state AGs to become champions of data privacy, digital rights, and cybersecurity enforcement, thereby positioning themselves as catalysts for inclusive growth.
The workshop is expected to become an annual forum for dialogue and policy alignment between legal and regulatory institutions. With Nigeria targeting over 70% broadband penetration by 2027 under its National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), the outcomes from this meeting could play a pivotal role in achieving national digital transformation goals.
Industry observers view the meeting as a timely intervention amid ongoing fiscal uncertainties, global investment flight from emerging markets, and rising threats to critical infrastructure.
Dr. Maida concluded by reaffirming the NCC’s commitment to building partnerships that foster resilient, fair, and future-proof communications systems for Nigeria’s digital economy.
“The real success lies in translating today’s commitments into actionable reforms. This is just the beginning,” he said.