The Nigerian government has halted the enforcement of overlapping rules for internet platforms, marking its strongest move yet to create a single regulatory framework for the digital economy.
A Tuesday directive from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, seen by TechCabal, directs regulators to maintain the existing regulatory framework while the government harmonises policies on internet platforms, artificial intelligence, online safety, data governance, and other cross-cutting digital economy issues.
In December 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) released a draft Internet Code of Practice that appeared to duplicate provisions in the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) 2022 Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms and Internet Intermediaries.
By pausing enforcement, the government aims to eliminate regulatory duplication and develop a more coherent framework for governing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. The move marks one of the clearest attempts yet to streamline Nigeria’s increasingly fragmented digital regulation.
The decision followed a high-level meeting chaired by Minister Bosun Tijani, with the leadership of the NCC, NITDA, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to coordinate oversight of the country’s digital sector.
