NCC reaffirms role of judiciary in safeguarding telecoms assets, Nigeria Digital Economy

*Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission, emphasises how the Judiciary is critical to protecting the emerging Nigeria Digital Economy by strengthening judicial capacity to adjudicate telecoms-related disputes

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

As the West African country moves to strengthen judicial capacity to adjudicate telecoms-related disputes effectively, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has affirmed the Judiciary is critical to protecting the emerging Nigeria Digital Economy.

The NCC emphasised the need for protection of telecoms infrastructure and entire online ecosystem from escalating cyber and security threats.

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ConsumerConnect reports Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Commission, said this Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications, in   Lagos.

Highlighting the recent surge in digital services in the ecosystem, the EVC/CEO emphasised the Nigeria Digital Economy is scaling quickly in regard to digital payments, e-commerce, startups, and tech-driven literacy programmes.

According to the telecoms sector regulatory Commission, this development has helped to deepen economic inclusion and widen access to digital services.

Represented at the workshop by Ms. Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management (ECSM) at NCC, Dr. Maida disclosed the Nigerian digital consumers used up 1.42 million terabytes of data as of March 2026.

This figure, the NCC noted, compared with 995,000 terabytes recorded within the corresponding period of 2025.

The development also reflected Nigeria’s growing dependence on digital connectivity and online platforms for socio-economic services.

The NCC Executive Vice-Chairman further stated that daily data use has risen to roughly 15 million hours of high-definition video streaming, compared to 10.7 million hours recorded in the past year.

Update on Broadband connectivity

Maida revealed that Broadband penetration in the Nigerian telecoms space has increased to 54.3 percent 2026 from 47.7 percent recorded 2025.

The surge has expanded access to faster and more reliable Internet across Nigeria, noted the Commission.

As regards investments in the telecommunications industry, the NCC said the all-important sector of the Nigerian economy invested over a billion Dollars in network expansion projects last year.

Maida also said the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) added thousands of new telecommunications sites to improve nationwide coverage, Quality of Service (QoS) and digital access across underserved communities in the country.

Telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure

Despite the new peaks recorded in the telecoms industry 2025, Maida however, cautioned against reported cases of vandalism, fibre optic cuts, theft, and sabotage that have continued to threaten telecoms infrastructure designed as the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

He noted these challenges equally posed risks to service reliability, national security, and consumer confidence in the Nigeria Digital Economy.

The NCC Chief Executive stated: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had designated telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, requiring stronger protection from government institutions, security agencies, industry operators and citizens because of its strategic national importance.”

Collaborative efforts at protecting telecoms infrastructure

Highlighting the Commission’s collaborative efforts at safeguarding telecoms assets across the space, the EVC/CEO said the regulator is collaborating with security agencies and network operators.

Maida revealed the joint, nationwide effort embraces asset mapping, advocacy, mediation, and enforcement to safeguard critical telecoms infrastructure across Nigeria.

Besides, disclosed the Commission’s collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which had already disrupted criminal syndicates involved in the theft, vandalism and illegal resale of telecommunications infrastructure and network equipment nationwide.

He as well stated the NCC introduced the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System to address rising Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)-related fraud, cybercrime, identity theft and financial scams linked to telecommunications services and subscriber identity abuses.

The Commission, he affirmed, also partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combat electronic fraud and telecoms-driven financial crimes affecting several consumers and financial institutions.

The NCC will expand collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and other agencies to fight cybercrime, protect legitimate telecoms subscribers and digital consumers nationwide.

Maida, nonetheless, identified misinformation, hate speech, child online exploitation, data privacy breaches and cyberthreats as major challenges associated with increasing Internet penetration and the wider adoption of digital communication platforms in the ecosystem.

According to him, the NCC reviewed the Internet Code of Practice (COP) to strengthen responsible Internet governance while maintaining an appropriate balance between encouraging innovation, investment opportunities and protecting vulnerable citizens from online harms.

In his presentation at the forum also, Chief Idris Olorunnimbe, Chairman, Governing Board of NCC, said digital technologies had significantly transformed governance, commerce, security systems and social interactions across modern societies and economies globally.

Toeing the line of Dr. Maida, Chief Olorunnimbe also identified issues of cybersecurity, online harms, infrastructure protection, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and consumer rights.

He stated that all these required stronger institutional collaboration and improved judicial understanding of Nigeria’s evolving digital and telecommunications regulatory environment.

The NCC Board Chairman also expressed confidence that the workshop for the judges and judicial officers would strengthen their capacity to adjudicate telecoms-related disputes effectively.

Olorunnimbe said this would help to support innovation, protect citizens, and safeguard Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure and entire Nigeria digital economy.

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