The Nigerian telecommunications sector has come a long way since the year 2000, and the policy governing it is finally catching up. At the two-day National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000 Review Workshop organized by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, on May 20–21, 2026, industry experts, government officials, regulators, and development partners spoke with one voice: Nigeria needs a telecom policy built for the future, one that puts jobs, digital growth, and economic transformation at the center.
The event, themed “The Journey So Far: Milestones and Next Steps,” marked the first formal review of Nigeria’s telecoms policy framework in 26 years. From just 20,000 subscribers in 2000 to over 180 million in 2026, the industry has witnessed rapid expansion, increased competition, and multiple market shifts, yet the policy steering it had remained frozen in time.
Speaking at the workshop, Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, warned that Nigeria cannot afford another prolonged gap in updating critical telecoms policy frameworks at a time when technology is advancing at unprecedented speed. Her message was pointed: the country must build a more responsive system capable of keeping pace with AI, broadband expansion, and cybersecurity demands. She stressed that telecommunications has evolved far beyond voice connectivity to now support financial technology, digital commerce, education, healthcare, agriculture, and national security operations.
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NCC Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida reinforced this view, describing the telecoms sector as no longer just an industry but the productivity backbone of Nigeria’s entire economy. He cited projections showing that deeper digital adoption could add as much as two percentage points to Nigeria’s GDP, create about two million jobs, and generate nearly ₦2 trillion in economic value. These are not abstract numbers ,they represent teachers gaining internet-connected classrooms, farmers accessing digital markets, and young Nigerians building careers in tech.
The proposed NTP 2026 includes 15 updates covering spectrum management, infrastructure protection, tariff regulation, consumer rights, and digital governance. One pressing issue is the alarming rate of infrastructure vandalism. Nigeria recorded 19,384 fibre cuts in 2025 alone ,an average of 53 cuts per day ,and 5,934 more in just the first quarter of 2026. The new policy proposes classifying telecom assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure, with tougher penalties for attacks.
Ernest Ndukwe, former NCC boss and current MTN Nigeria chairman, also weighed in, noting that the Nigerian Communications Act itself may need updating after more than two decades to reflect today’s market realities.
The workshop is expected to produce recommendations toward the development of a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026, one that finally addresses cybersecurity, digital trust, broadband affordability, and inclusive connectivity for all Nigerians.
The consensus from Lagos was clear: getting telecom policy right is not just a regulatory exercise. It is one of the most important economic decisions Nigeria can make right now.
