Telecom
New Regulatory Framework Set to Transform Nigeria’s Telecom Sector – NCC
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has presented the Draft General Authorisation Framework to telecom stakeholders, promising a “new era of agile, inclusive, and innovation-driven regulation” for the nation’s communication industry.
Stakeholders from across the telecommunications landscape—including industry executives, technology entrepreneurs, sector associations, and the media—gathered in Abuja at a forum led by Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, to deliberate on the pioneering blueprint poised to reshape the regulatory paradigm for communications services in Nigeria.
Dr. Maida, addressing the forum, celebrated the remarkable trajectory of Nigeria’s telecoms sector since liberalisation began 24 years ago. He highlighted that as of May 2025, the country’s tele-density stood at over 79.65%, with broadband penetration at 48.81%. According to him, these milestones have been driven by the rapid uptake of mobile technology, an upsurge in data consumption, and the nation’s growing appetite for digital services.
He stated, “We have witnessed tremendous transformation leading to achievements that underscore our progress as a nation. But we are now at a turning point where the nature of innovation demands a regulatory paradigm that is not only responsive but enabling.”
Dr. Maida stressed that the sector was at a crossroads where traditional regulatory frameworks were struggling to keep pace with breakneck innovation. “Modern regulation must enable—not hinder—innovation,” he said, emphasizing the urgent need for a new system to accommodate advancements such as 5G networks, AI-driven systems, blockchain, and fintech.
He introduced the General Authorisation Framework, NCC’s reform initiative aimed at offering flexibility and responsiveness. The framework, he noted, is built on three pivotal instruments: Proof-of-Concept (PoC) pilots, which allow innovators to validate novel ideas in real-world settings; a Regulatory Sandbox, which provides a supervised environment for testing innovation such as Open RAN and dynamic spectrum sharing; and Interim Service Authorisation (ISA), which grants temporary operation of services not yet covered by existing licence categories.
Dr. Maida explained, “By adopting this approach, we are providing a platform for innovators of various sizes—whether startups or established companies—to demonstrate feasibility, assess risk, and measure outcomes before deployment. This model encourages experimentation and responsible innovation while safeguarding consumer rights and public interest.”
Emphasising the collective nature of regulatory success, Dr. Maida called on mobile network operators, service providers, infrastructure companies, original equipment manufacturers, start-ups, civil society, and academia to play active roles in refining the framework.
He underscored the NCC’s vision, saying, “To sustain momentum, we must be bold, collaborative, and committed to building a resilient and innovative ecosystem. Through the General Authorisation Framework, we are unlocking new pathways for experimentation, market entry, and growth.”
In her presentation, the Director of NCC’s Licensing and Authorization Department revealed that the draft framework was fashioned after an extensive internal review, benchmarking against international models such as the UK’s Ofcom Sandbox and Singapore’s IMDA testbeds. She noted, “These examples helped us understand how to promote innovation in a way that still meets regulatory goals.”
She added, “The framework is designed to be time-bound, transparent, and data-driven, while aligning with national policies including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, the National Broadband Plan, and the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
“We have embedded key protections to ensure safety and market integrity, including data protection rules, cybersecurity measures, and customer information policies.”
Both the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO and the Director called for robust stakeholder feedback, describing the draft as “a living document” open for commentary and suggestions. The Director urged participants, “We invite your objective commentary—on clarity, structure, implementation hurdles, or opportunities for alignment with your respective business models.”
Participants were reminded that the inclusive growth of Nigeria’s digital economy hinges on closing connectivity gaps and empowering underserved communities—particularly youth and women—through innovation-friendly regulation.
Concluding, Dr. Maida expressed optimism that the engagement would “spark your curiosity, refine our collective vision, and accelerate our journey towards a more connected, innovative, and prosperous Nigeria.” The forum ended with a call for fruitful deliberations, reinforcing NCC’s commitment to a transparent, inclusive, and responsive telecom regulatory environment for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Dimension Data has said that the proceeds from its Series 1 corporate bond, will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
This followed the successful subscription of the corporate bond.
Recall that Dimension Data Limited said that it has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).
This sum marks the first tranche of a N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme announced earlier this year.
The bond programme was raised under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.
The company says the proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, managing director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the company has grown its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.
Today Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Ltd Group, one of the world’s leading technology companies.
As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Federal Government has announced that work will commence within weeks on a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network expected to connect every state, local government area and ward in Nigeria, marking what officials describe as one of the country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the progress of three flagship digital transformation initiatives being implemented by his ministry.
According to the minister, all resource mobilisation and contractual processes for the nationwide fibre project have been completed, paving the way for physical deployment.
“We’re now at the point where, in a few weeks’ time, we should start to lay those fibre, so people will start seeing us around the country deploying the fibre. This is going to transform Nigeria for good,” Tijani said.
He explained that the project would deliver fibre optic infrastructure to every geopolitical zone, state, local government area and ward, significantly expanding broadband access and improving the quality of internet connectivity across the country.
“This is a project where every state, every geopolitical zone, every local government and every ward in this country will be covered with fibre optic cables, which will transform the quality of connectivity,” he added.
Bosun Tijani attributed the progress in the digital economy to a series of reforms approved by President Tinubu, including the designation of digital infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation measures sought by industry operators.
“I think our sector has been extremely fortunate. Mr. President has given us quite a number of things that the sector has been demanding for a long time. Whether it’s the Critical National Infrastructure designation for all digital infrastructure, the slight adjustment in tariff, or the tax harmonisation, these are reforms the industry has long requested.
“I think it’s probably the sector that is most appreciative of this government because when we came in, the sector was contributing between 16 and 18 per cent to our GDP, but today it is tracking close to 21 per cent. That represents significant growth,” he said.
The minister noted that the reforms had also improved the financial performance of major operators in the telecommunications sector.
On efforts to bridge the digital divide, Tijani disclosed that the government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to provide network coverage for more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in underserved communities without access to telecom services.
He said the President had approved the project after months of capital mobilisation and planning.
“Today we’re at a point where, before the end of the year, we’ll also start to deploy close to 3,700 towers. It’s taken a lot to put this project together and raise the required capital, but we are now ready to begin deployment around October,” he said.
The minister also announced that Nigeria would officially launch an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, a move he said would place the country among a select group of nations operating an advanced digital addressing system.
“Nigeria will be amongst maybe 10 or 15 countries in the world with an alphanumeric postcode. It’s the latest design in postcode systems, where we can identify every property in this country. We’re hoping to launch that on the 1st of October,” he said.
Tijani explained that the new system would assign a unique address to every property nationwide, enhancing logistics, accelerating e-commerce, improving emergency response and strengthening public service delivery.
“Inability to locate places comes at a cost. You can imagine what this will do for e-commerce. It means goods can now be delivered in record time,” he said.
He added that integrating the postcode system with existing government identity databases would improve security and make public services more efficient.
“Our alphanumeric postcode is unique because it allows us to assign a unique address to every property. In many countries, such as the UK, postcodes cover clusters of buildings. What we are introducing will uniquely identify every building, and that will be a game changer for Nigeria in terms of security, commerce and public service delivery,” the minister stated.
Telecom
Treepz Partners with CMS T&M to Digitize Public Transportation for Millions of Lagos Commuters
Treepz has officially announced a strategic partnership with CMS Taxi & Motor Nigeria Limited (CMS T&M) to modernize public transportation through digital technology to ensure cashless, transparent and more efficient commuting for passengers across CMS – Ajah routes.
The partnership brings together Treepz’s transportation technology and CMS T&M’s decades of experience moving passengers.
By integrating Treepz’s digital mobility platforms into CMS T&M’s operations, passengers will enjoy a faster, safer and completely cashless payment experience, while the transport operators gain access to real-time operational insights, digital ticketing and improved revenue management.
Speaking on the partnership, Johnny, Co-Founder of Treepz, said: “Public transportation is the backbone of every thriving city. Our mission has always been to use technology to make commuting easier and more efficient for everyone.
“Partnering with CMS T&M represents another important milestone in digitizing public transportation in Nigeria and empowering operators with the tools they need to scale sustainably.”
He added: “By replacing manual ticketing and cash collections with digital systems, we’re creating greater transparency for operators while delivering a better everyday experience for commuters.”
Also commenting on the partnership, Andrew Akhigbe, Managing Director of CMS T&M, said: “CMS T&M has proudly served Lagos commuters for decades, and innovation has always been essential to our growth.
“This partnership with Treepz allows us to embrace modern technology that improves operational efficiency, enhances accountability, and delivers a more convenient travel experience for our passengers.”
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by both organizations to accelerate the digital transformation of Nigeria’s transport sector while improving the quality, reliability and accessibility of public mobility.
Treepz continues to expand its footprint across Africa by providing technology solutions that help transport operators digitize their services and deliver better customer experiences.
Beyond public bus operators, the company also powers mobility solutions for businesses, educational and religious institutions as well as governments seeking smarter transportation systems.
As Lagos continues to evolve into one of Africa’s largest smart cities, partnerships like this demonstrate how technology can reshape urban mobility, making transportation more connected, efficient and accessible for millions of commuters.
Visit website: https://www.cmstaxiandmotor.com
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