At the heart of Nigeria’s digital future lies a simple truth: technology alone is not enough. It must be backed by bold policies, strong laws, and institutional cooperation.
That was the central message at the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) maiden Annual Workshop for Attorneys-General of States, held this week, in Lagos.
Speaking to a hall filled with the nation’s top legal officers, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, attorney-general of the Federation and Minister of Justice, delivered a compelling keynote on the theme “Building and Driving Synergy in Regulating Communications for Digital Transformation in Nigeria.”
Fagbemi highlighted the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration to address Nigeria’s most pressing communication challenges, from multiple taxation to infrastructure vandalism, regulatory overlaps, and inconsistent policies.
“Digital transformation is critical to socio-economic development. A well-regulated communications sector ensures protection of rights, supports ease of doing business, and provides a level playing field for all actors,” he stated.
He didn’t hold back in naming key pain points. The Attorney-General referenced the Ogun State multiple taxation crisis in 2024, which stalled telecom expansion projects, and the vandalism of base stations in Kano, as acts of economic sabotage that threaten national progress.
But he also pointed to bright spots, such as Anambra State’s unified Right-of-Way policy, which resulted in a 38% increase in fibre optic rollout in just six months, proof that state-led reforms can produce measurable impact.
Fagbemi called on Attorneys-General to champion digital rights, data privacy, and cybersecurity laws in their states. He recommended a coordinated national approach, including:
- Legal and policy harmonization,
- A Federal-State regulatory coordination forum,
- Uniform Right-of-Way implementation,
- And a consolidated digital taxation framework.
“We must work in synergy and cooperation, in the overall interest of the nation,” Fagbemi charged.
NCC’s Maida: “Collaboration Is Not Optional”
Earlier, Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman/CEO of the NCC, welcomed participants with a strong message of inclusion and urgency.
“No sector, especially one as dynamic as communications, can be effectively regulated in isolation,” Maida asserted.
He emphasized that the Attorneys-General are not just enforcers of the law, but key architects of the digital economy, whose actions can either hinder or enable innovation.
From AI governance to digital resilience and broadband expansion, Maida laid out the Commission’s evolving focus and the growing need for inter-agency cooperation.
The EVC highlighted four priorities for joint action:
- Review of the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) to reflect the current digital realities;
- Streamlined tax regimes to reduce barriers to investment;
- Regulatory clarity to eliminate duplication of roles across agencies;
- Operationalization of the Executive Order designating communications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
“We must adopt a Whole-of-Government approach that leverages the strengths of all institutions, federal and state,” Maida urged.
What Comes Next?
As the workshop closed its first day, the tone was set for a new era of policy alignment, federal-state synergy, and law-technology integration. For Nigeria to unlock the full potential of its digital economy, the bridge between law and innovation must be solid, coordinated, and future-facing.
And that, both Fagbemi and Maida agree, begins with cooperation, not in theory, but in practice.
