The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on Thursday in Lagos, called for deeper collaboration with the judiciary to strengthen the protection of telecommunications infrastructure, combat cybercrime, and improve online safety as Nigeria’s digital economy records rapid expansion.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications,
the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the judiciary would remain critical to the future of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, Maida noted that the rapid growth of the digital economy had created both opportunities and complex legal challenges requiring stronger judicial understanding and intervention.
He described the workshop theme, “Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety,” as timely, stressing that digital connectivity, cybersecurity, and telecom infrastructure protection had become central to national development.
According to him, Nigeria’s digital ecosystem recorded remarkable growth within the last year, with broadband penetration increasing from 47.7 per cent in 2025 to 54.3 per cent in 2026.
Maida disclosed that Nigerians consumed more than 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026, compared to 995,000 terabytes in March 2025, reflecting a sharp rise in internet usage across the country.
“This is roughly equivalent to Nigerians watching over 15 million hours of high-definition video every single day,” he said.
He further revealed that telecommunications operators invested over $1 billion in network expansion in 2025, resulting in the deployment of thousands of new telecom sites nationwide to improve connectivity and service quality.
Despite the progress, the NCC boss warned that the sector continued to face threats such as vandalism, fibre cuts, equipment theft, and sabotage targeting telecom infrastructure.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had designated telecommunications assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure, highlighting their importance to national security and economic stability.
According to Maida, the Commission is working with security agencies, telecom operators, and other stakeholders to strengthen infrastructure protection through nationwide asset mapping, public awareness campaigns, mediation efforts, and stricter enforcement measures.
He added that collaboration between the NCC and the Office of the National Security Adviser had already led to the disruption of criminal syndicates involved in the theft and illegal resale of telecom equipment.
On cybercrime and identity fraud, Maida disclosed that the NCC had introduced the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System aimed at addressing SIM-related fraud, number recycling abuses, and identity theft.
He also revealed that the Commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen efforts against electronic fraud linked to phone numbers and financial services.
The NCC, he said, also plans to deepen collaboration with agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Identity Management Commission in tackling cybercrime.
Maida expressed concern over growing online harms such as misinformation, hate speech, child exploitation, and data privacy breaches, adding that the Commission had reviewed its Internet Code of Practice to encourage responsible internet governance while balancing innovation with consumer protection.
Addressing participants at the workshop, he said courts would increasingly be called upon to interpret laws, settle disputes, and establish precedents capable of shaping investor confidence and trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
He explained that the two-day workshop would feature expert presentations and panel discussions on telecommunications infrastructure resilience, artificial intelligence, subscriber identity management, cybersecurity, and internet governance.
Maida reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to continued collaboration with the National Judicial Institute through sustained capacity-building initiatives designed to improve justice delivery in telecommunications and digital-related matters.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe, said digital technologies had transformed governance, commerce, security systems, and social interactions across economies worldwide.
According to Olorunnimbe, issues relating to cybersecurity, online harms, infrastructure protection, artificial intelligence, and consumer rights required stronger institutional collaboration and deeper judicial understanding of Nigeria’s evolving telecommunications regulatory landscape.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would enhance the capacity of judges to effectively adjudicate telecommunications-related disputes while supporting innovation, protecting citizens, and safeguarding Nigeria’s critical digital infrastructure.
