Nigeria’s telecommunications operators are warning the National Assembly that a key provision in the proposed National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, 2025, could severely damage investor confidence and slow economic progress. The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) cautioned against clauses that grant overlapping regulatory powers, particularly between the existing Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, made the presentation during a joint public hearing, stating that while the industry fully supports the bill’s objective to strengthen the digital ecosystem, certain sections vest powers in NITDA that duplicate the statutory mandate of the NCC. Adebayo emphasised that creating regulatory chaos will not only confuse operators but could also actively discourage the foreign direct investment that has been critical to the sector’s impressive contribution to the nation’s wealth. The telecom sector is a major pillar of the Nigerian economy, with its sub-sector alone contributing over 14% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in recent quarters. Unambiguous regulatory guidance is vital for maintaining the stable investment environment that allows this high-growth sector to thrive.
Addressing the lawmakers, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, maintained that the bill is a transformative step, positioning Nigeria to set a new benchmark for digital transformation in Africa. He disclosed the administration’s aggressive plans, including the deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic networks and nearly 4,000 new communication towers, which are designed to build the “economy of tomorrow.” The Minister highlighted that the digital economy has already grown from contributing 16% of GDP to 19%, with a target of 21% by 2027. He noted that President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the legislation into law this week.
Responding to the industry’s concerns, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, assured stakeholders that the committee would carefully consider ALTON’s submissions during the final drafting process. Lawmakers describe the bill as a first-of-its-kind in Africa, one that provides regulatory clarity for electronic transactions and establishes the essential framework for digitising government services across the country. The operators’ key demand remains that the new law must complement existing sectoral legislation rather than create conflicts that could ultimately hamstring the very digital growth it is meant to promote.
