The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has projected that the ongoing review of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) could generate about N1.6 trillion in additional tax revenue and create nearly two million jobs by 2028, as Nigeria positions its digital economy for a new phase of growth.
The projections were disclosed in Lagos by Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the NCC, during a stakeholder workshop reviewing the National Telecommunications Policy 2000, which is aimed at redefining the country’s telecom and digital governance framework.
Maida said the review is necessary because Nigeria’s telecom industry has evolved far beyond the assumptions of the 2000 policy, which was designed at the early stage of liberalisation.
The sector, which has grown from about 20,000 subscribers at inception to more than 180 million active users in 2026, has been driven by rapid expansion, rising competition and nationwide infrastructure rollout, even as challenges such as vandalism, fibre cuts, rural connectivity gaps and inconsistent service quality continue to affect performance.
“The policy helped build the market we have today, but the market has outgrown the assumptions of that period.Our task is to preserve enduring principles while developing a modern framework that supports broadband expansion, innovation, investment, and quality of experience,” Maida said.
He explained that the proposed reforms are not limited to the telecom sector alone, but are intended to serve as a broader economic transformation agenda.
Citing estimates from the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), Maida said deeper digitalisation across agriculture, manufacturing, transport, trade, and government could raise Nigeria’s GDP by about two percentage points within two years.
“The GSMA has estimated that deeper digitalisation across agriculture, manufacturing, transport, trade and government could add around two percentage points to GDP by 2028, create nearly two million jobs, and generate an additional N1.6 trillion in tax revenue,” he said.
Maida stressed that telecommunications should now be seen as core national productivity infrastructure rather than a standalone sector, given its role in enabling economic activity across industries.
He noted that Nigeria’s telecom sector has already passed through several phases of evolution, from market liberalisation to digital ecosystem development, and is now entering what he described as an advanced regulatory era driven by 5G, artificial intelligence, satellite broadband, and critical national infrastructure systems.
“Telecommunications is no longer just one sector within the economy; it is productivity infrastructure for the entire economy,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s regulatory environment is now classified by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as fourth-generation, with readiness for more collaborative and advanced digital regulation. This shift expands the role of the NCC from licensing operators to enabling a broader digital economy in partnership with agencies such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Maida said the next phase of policy development will prioritise cybersecurity, digital trust, regulatory coordination, data protection, internet governance, investment sustainability, and universal connectivity.
He also highlighted emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, satellite broadband, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud infrastructure, and digital sovereignty as central to Nigeria’s future competitiveness.
“This is no longer a narrow telecommunications conversation. The sector is the productivity infrastructure for the entire economy,” he said.
Under the proposed 2026 policy direction, he said the NCC aims to strengthen investment conditions, improve competition management, enhance consumer protection, and improve overall service quality for users.
Maida also emphasised that success must no longer be measured solely by the number of connected lines, but by real productivity gains and economic impact across sectors.
“We must move beyond celebrating connected lines alone. We must now focus on cross-sectoral productivity, digital adoption, and GDP growth enabled by meaningful connectivity,” he said.
Other industry stakeholders at the workshop echoed the need for stronger infrastructure sharing, regulatory reform, and improved investment conditions.
Funke Opeke, former chief executive officer of MainOne, called for deeper infrastructure collaboration to improve rural connectivity and reduce duplication in network investments.
She noted that affordability, capacity constraints, and infrastructure gaps remain major barriers to achieving meaningful nationwide access.
“If we’re going to have meaningful connectivity down to the rural areas in Nigeria, we need to consider the affordability and capacity of our networks to drive usage to the very least of our villages,” Opeke said.
She also urged government agencies to address right-of-way bottlenecks and treat telecom infrastructure as a national enabler rather than primarily a revenue source.
Similarly, Lars Johanisson, chief executive officer of Rack Centre, pointed to persistent challenges around energy supply, taxation, and equipment import processes, which he said continue to increase operational costs for operators.
He argued that resolving these issues would be critical to improving investment inflows and expanding network capacity.
The policy review is expected to shape Nigeria’s next phase of digital transformation, as the country aligns its regulatory framework with emerging technologies and global digital economy trends.
