The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has fixed March 20 as the deadline for industry stakeholders to submit inputs on the ongoing review of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000.
The Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ukoha said the consultation paper for the review had been published on the Commission’s website, urging stakeholders to study the document and make their submissions before the deadline.
“All submissions from stakeholders are to be addressed to the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Commission or sent to the dedicated email: stakeholders@ncc.gov.ng ” she said.
She explained that the consultation process was in exercise of the Commission’s statutory responsibilities under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, particularly pursuant to Section 24(1) of the Act.
According to her, the policy review follows the inauguration of a Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) and a Ministerial Technical Committee (MTC), both headed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani.
The committees, she said, were constituted to commence a comprehensive review of the NTP 2000 in line with emerging realities in the communications sector.
Ukoha noted that the review would align with the minister’s strategic blueprint aimed at accelerating collective prosperity through technical efficiency and innovation.
She said the blueprint prioritises critical areas such as spectrum management, universal access, broadband penetration, net neutrality, and quality of service.
Ukoha explained that the consultation process and its outcome will support the work of the MSC and the Implementation Committee (IC) in producing a revised policy
This policy, she added, addresses current challenges in the communications sector and keeps pace with rapid technological changes since the policy was issued 25 years ago,” she said.
In the published consultation paper, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stated that the exercise would culminate in the development of a first draft of the NTP 2026, adding that it will replace the existing NTP 2000 after 25 years of implementation.
Maida explained that the draft policy would undergo further rounds of consultation to enable stakeholders to make additional contributions before it is subjected to statutory approval and validation processes.
He highlighted the significant impact of the NTP 2000, noting that it transformed Nigeria’s telecom sector from about 500,000 connected lines in 2000 to nearly 180 million active mobile connections as of December 2026.
According to him, one of the critical gaps the revised policy seeks to address is the growing demand for data services and the associated regulatory and socio-economic implications.
“This is the first step in the consultation process. There will be additional layers of engagement to ensure the final draft reflects diverse expertise, feedback and inputs from a broad cross-section of stakeholders,” Maida said.
He urged licensees, consumers, government agencies, international partners, civil society organizations, and other interested parties to seize the opportunity to shape a policy framework that will drive the next phase of growth in Nigeria’s communications sector.
The NCC boss said that the NTP 2000 marked a major shift from the 1998 policy by promoting liberalization, modernization, and competition under Nigeria’s emerging democratic dispensation, paving the way for market deregulation and the eventual enactment of the NCA 2003.
He added that the ongoing review is anchored on 15 key policy proposals designed to provide the context and direction for necessary reforms, including industry regulation, sustainability, emerging technologies, and national security considerations.
He expressed optimism that robust stakeholder participation would ensure that the revised policy meets contemporary demands and positions the sector for sustainable growth in the years ahead.
