The Nigerian Communications Commission has begun a formal review of the country's national telecommunications policy, a framework that has been in place for 26 years and has not been substantively updated since 2000. The review, which was initiated at a policy workshop in Lagos on Wednesday, aims to produce a new National Telecommunications Policy 2026 capable of addressing the persistent network failures, high data costs, infrastructure vandalism, and regulatory fragmentation that continue to undermine Nigeria's digital economy.

Why the Current Policy No Longer Works

NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida was direct about the inadequacy of the existing framework. "A policy that was fit for purpose in the year 2000 cannot simply be assumed to remain adequate in 2026," he said at the workshop. The commission noted that telecommunications has evolved well beyond voice connectivity and now underpins financial technology, digital commerce, education, healthcare, agriculture, and national security. "Telecommunications is no longer a standalone sector. It is an enabling platform for almost every other sector of national life," he said.

The Scale of the Problem

The urgency of the review is reinforced by the state of Nigeria's telecoms infrastructure. The country recorded 19,384 fibre-optic cable cuts in 2025, contributing to frequent and widespread service outages. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, 5,934 fibre cuts were recorded. Operators are also contending with more than 50 taxes and levies imposed across the sector, persistent right-of-way bottlenecks that delay infrastructure deployment, and rising energy costs, with diesel prices increasing from N1,770 to N1,850 per litre in recent months.



What the Reform Could Change

As part of the proposed overhaul, the NCC has signalled plans to simplify infrastructure deployment through harmonised Right of Way fees and streamlined permitting processes across federal, state, and local governments. Telecom operators have long argued that multiple taxation and inconsistent permitting systems significantly inflate the cost of deploying fibre, costs that are frequently passed on to consumers in the form of higher data prices. Addressing these structural issues directly could, over time, translate into more affordable and reliable connectivity for Nigerian subscribers.

What to Watch

The NCC has indicated that stakeholder consultations on the proposed policy will continue in the coming weeks. Whether the reform produces a framework that genuinely reduces the operational and regulatory burden on telecom operators, or simply documents existing challenges without resolving them, will determine its real-world impact. For Nigeria's growing base of digital businesses, remote workers, and everyday internet users, the outcome of this review has direct consequences.