Nigeria moves to update telecom regulations for evolving digital landscape

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) is taking decisive steps to modernize the regulations governing the country’s rapidly evolving communications sector.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, emphasized the critical need for updated regulations to keep pace with technological advancements and ensure operator compliance.

He made these remarks at a Public Inquiry in Abuja, which focused on reviewing three key regulatory instruments.

Represented by Barr. Rimini Makama, the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Dr. Maida stated that the fast-paced nature of the industry, driven by new technologies, requires a refinement of existing rules to maintain a functional and adaptive system.

“The industry is evolving at a fast pace… pushing the limits on established concepts,” he said. “This has necessitated the need to refine these instruments.”

The specific regulations under review are: the regulation on licensing; enforcement process regulations, and revised Internet code of practice

Dr. Maida highlighted that the Revised Internet Code of Practice, in particular, aims to protect user rights while holding service providers to high ethical and technical standards.

He noted that the internet “cannot be left unguarded, considering the great risk it poses.”

Echoing this sentiment, Mrs. Chizua White, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, explained that the proposed amendments are designed to strengthen compliance obligations for operators and expand regulatory coverage to include new and emerging technologies. She pointed out that a more robust framework is needed to protect both operators and customers from online dangers such as crime, identity theft, hate speech, and misinformation.

“The instrument seeks to ensure that all operators that provide this gateway erect certain structures to minimize exposure to the above stated ills,” Mrs. White stated.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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