In a move aimed at modernizing Nigeria’s telecommunications regulatory landscape, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday presented the report of its first-ever Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on eight key subsidiary legislations enacted in 2024.
The Stakeholder Engagement Forum, held in Abuja, brought together industry players, regulators, and consumer advocates to assess how existing laws affect consumers, operators, and national development.
The event was led by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, who described the initiative as a transformative step in the Commission’s rule-making process.
In his welcome address, Dr. Maida emphasized that the RIA process was designed to review and improve regulations by examining their real-life impact on three key focus areas: consumers, the telecom market, and the government.
“The RIA ensures that our legislations are not only evidence-based but also responsive to the dynamic needs of the industry,” Maida said.
“Consumers remain central to our regulatory efforts, and this process evaluated how these legislations enhance quality of experience.”
He explained that beyond consumers, the RIA also evaluated how the laws affect licensees, particularly in fostering fair competition and market access. “It’s about making our rules more adaptable and removing unnecessary barriers to innovation and investment,” he noted.
The third strategic focus was government, the overarching driver of national policy. “We assessed how these regulations align with national objectives and support broader developmental goals,” he said.
Dr. Maida underscored the importance of stakeholder input in shaping the final report and encouraged robust dialogue to refine and enhance the legislative framework.
Also addressing participants, Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, hailed the RIA as a historic milestone and a clear departure from conventional regulatory methods.
“This is the first time the Commission is deploying a full-scale Regulatory Impact Assessment in its rule-making process, and it signals a new era of accountability, transparency, and stakeholder inclusion,” she stated.
According to Whyte, the assessment focused on critical regulatory areas such as SIM registration, licensing, subscriber management, spectrum trading, enforcement procedures, and infrastructure sharing.
“We took a deep look at what is working, what needs refinement, and which provisions have become outdated.
The goal was to simplify processes, clarify obligations, and remove bottlenecks that hinder innovation,” she said.
Whyte noted that the collaboration between the Commission and industry stakeholders enriched the process. “Their feedback shaped the outcomes we are presenting today, and these outcomes will serve as the foundation for updating and amending key subsidiary legislations,” she said.
She reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to building a regulatory environment that is future-focused and driven by evidence, innovation, and fairness.
Both speakers stressed the importance of ongoing stakeholder engagement as the NCC moves to implement the recommendations from the RIA.
“Today is not just about a report’s about shaping the future of telecom regulation in Nigeria,” Dr. Maida concluded. “Let’s stay focused on our shared goal: a telecom industry that serves consumers better, encourages investment, and supports national growth.”
The presentation of the RIA report is expected to serve as a catalyst for far-reaching reforms that will improve regulatory clarity, bolster consumer protection, and enable sustainable growth in Nigeria’s digital economy.
