The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has fixed March 20 as the deadline for stakeholders to submit feedback on the ongoing review of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, said the call for submissions follows the publication of a consultation paper on the NCC’s website. She directed that all responses be addressed to the Executive Vice-Chairman of the commission or sent via the dedicated email: stakeholders@ncc.gov.ng.
Ukoha explained that the consultation is being conducted in line with the NCC’s mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act, particularly Section 24(1) of the Act.
The review process comes after the inauguration of a Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) and a Ministerial Technical Committee (MTC), both chaired by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani. The committees have been tasked with overseeing the revision of the NTP 2000.
According to Ukoha, the policy update will align with the minister’s strategic blueprint aimed at accelerating collective prosperity through improved technical efficiency. Key focus areas include spectrum management, universal access, broadband expansion, net neutrality, and quality of service.
She noted that the consultation outcomes will support the work of the MSC and the Implementation Committee (IC) in producing a revised policy capable of addressing current challenges in the communications sector and adapting to rapid changes over the past 25 years.
Meanwhile, the NCC’s Executive Vice-Chairman, Aminu Maida, stated in the consultation paper that the process will culminate in the first draft of the NTP 2026, which is expected to replace the existing NTP 2000 after 25 years of implementation.
Maida said the draft policy will undergo additional rounds of stakeholder engagement before being subjected to statutory approval and validation processes.
He highlighted that the NTP 2000 played a transformative role in Nigeria’s telecom sector, expanding active mobile lines from about 500,000 to nearly 180 million as of December 2026.
One of the major gaps the revised policy aims to address, he said, is the growing demand for data services and its broader implications.
Describing the consultation as the first phase of a multi-layered engagement process, Maida urged stakeholders—including licensees, consumers, government agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, and individuals—to actively contribute to shaping a policy that will drive the sector’s next phase of growth.
He recalled that the NTP 2000 marked a shift from earlier frameworks, replacing the 1998 policy and paving the way for liberalisation, competition, and the eventual enactment of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
Maida added that the ongoing review is anchored on 15 key policy proposals addressing regulation, sustainability, emerging technologies, national security, and other critical areas. Feedback received, he said, will guide amendments to ensure the revised policy aligns with the expectations of the 2003 Act and the evolving needs of Nigeria’s communications industry.