The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has ranked Nigeria at 71 percent in comparative legal, policy, and governance frameworks, placing the country in a strong position towards achieving G5, an advanced state of readiness for digital transformation. Germany, Finland, and Singapore lead the global chart in this domain.
The report, conducted by the ITU, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, in Abuja. The findings position Nigeria among Africa’s top seven in the BEMECS 5G Readiness Index, indicating the country’s preparedness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks.
Titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation,” the report was presented at the Digital Economy Complex in Mbora, Abuja, by ITU’s Kagwira Nkonge. It underscores Nigeria’s progress towards collaborative digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the digital economy.
The report was shared with a diverse group of key industry stakeholders, including service providers, government agencies, representatives of multilateral institutions, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), and the Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU). It complements existing cross-country benchmarks by assessing countries’ policy and regulatory environments based on the Generations of Regulation frameworks, which track telecom regulatory maturity towards digital transformation readiness. Nigeria is currently at G4.
The Advanced State of Readiness is benchmarked against four critical levels of accomplishments: national collaborative governance, policy design principles, digital development toolbox, and digital economic policy agenda. Nigeria scored 91 percent in regulatory capacity, 82 percent in market rules, 81 percent in collaborative governance, 76 percent in legal instruments for ICT/Telecom markets, and 69 percent in the national digital agenda policy.
In his remarks, Dr. Tijani commended the ITU, partner agencies, and consultants for the report. He expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to using the report as a guide to achieving robust digital economy goals. “We will continue to ensure we have cutting-edge modern regulations to facilitate proper business operations and enhance local content in the sector,” he stated.
Dr. Tijani highlighted the evolution of the NCC, noting that its role has expanded significantly. “Fifteen, twenty years ago, NCC was just regulating the telecommunications sector; today, NCC regulates the foundation for which any economy would be prosperous,” he explained.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, hosted the presentation and welcomed the indicators that promote effective regulation, attract greater investment, and develop innovative models for broader digital inclusion. He emphasized that collaborative regulation would support Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the nation’s digital economy.
