Nigeria has begun reviewing its 26-year-old telecommunications policy, proposing 15 major changes that could affect everything from mobile tariffs and internet competition to network quality and online safety for millions of subscribers. The review is expected to go live before the end of the year.
At a policy review workshop in Lagos on Wednesday, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said the proposed National Telecommunications Policy 2026 is intended to address the everyday problems subscribers continue to face, including rising data costs, persistent network outages, weak connectivity, and growing exposure to online fraud and digital scams.
Subscribers are facing worsening network disruptions as damage to telecom infrastructure continues across the country. Nigeria recorded 19,384 fibre-optic cable cuts in 2025, contributing to frequent service outages and unstable connectivity nationwide.
The proposed reforms include restructuring telecom governance institutions, updating the Nigerian Communications Act, strengthening competition rules, promoting infrastructure sharing and national roaming, improving spectrum efficiency for 5G and future technologies, and introducing more transparent tariff regulation. The policy also seeks to integrate satellite broadband, support AI and IoT innovation, encourage local telecom manufacturing, and establish a Digital Innovation Fund for startups and research.
