Nigeria: NCC Calls for Spectrum Harmonisation and Stronger Digital Policy Coordination Across Africa

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for greater spectrum harmonisation among African countries as the continent prepares for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference scheduled to hold in Doha, Qatar, later this year.

The Commission said closer policy alignment among member states of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is essential to attract investment, accelerate digital inclusion and expand telecommunications infrastructure needed to support Africa’s growing digital economy.

Speaking at the opening of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries, Ambassadors and Heads of Telecommunications Regulatory Authorities in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Wada Maida, urged African regulators to adopt coordinated positions on key digital policy issues before participating in global telecommunications discussions.

According to Maida, stronger regional collaboration is also required to develop harmonised data protection frameworks that support digital trade, establish governance mechanisms for artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems, expand universal connectivity, and strengthen cybersecurity across national borders.

He noted that the complexity of emerging digital challenges requires sustained cooperation among regulators, stressing that no single administration can effectively address issues such as cybersecurity, AI governance and cross-border digital regulation in isolation.

“Our regulatory cooperation must become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalised,” he said.

Maida encouraged ATU member states to use the conference to develop practical and unified policy positions that will guide Africa’s participation at the forthcoming ITU conference.

He stressed that African countries must engage proactively in shaping global digital standards rather than simply responding after international frameworks have already been established.

According to him, the continent should strengthen the participation of its technical experts, ensure continuity in representation at international forums and promote knowledge sharing among telecommunications regulators.

“Our objective should not simply be to adopt global standards, but to help shape standards that reflect African realities while supporting global best practices,” he stated.

Highlighting Africa’s growing digital influence, Maida noted that the continent is among the fastest-growing digital markets globally, driven by rapid mobile adoption, expanding digital financial services and a youthful population increasingly connected to the internet.

He observed that decisions on spectrum allocation, digital identity, artificial intelligence, connectivity and digital trust would have significant implications for Africa’s future, making it critical for the continent to present coordinated and technically sound positions during global negotiations.

Also speaking at the conference, the Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union, Dr. John Omo, expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for hosting the gathering and acknowledged the country’s continued support for regional digital development initiatives.

Omo described the conference as an important preparatory platform ahead of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, noting that the ATU has continued to expand its membership over the past four years, growing from 49 to 52 member states and increasing its associate membership from 50 to 56 organisations.

Reflecting on the Union’s recent achievements, he said African regulators have collaborated on several strategic initiatives, including the development of the continent’s International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum roadmap, responses to evolving satellite communication technologies, harmonised spectrum calculation methodologies and initiatives to strengthen submarine cable resilience.

He added that the Union has also played an active role in regional discussions on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, child online safety, internet governance, rural broadband deployment, internet exchange points, digital standardisation and the resilience of Africa’s digital infrastructure.

The conference is expected to produce a common African position on key telecommunications and digital policy issues, strengthening the continent’s influence in shaping global regulatory frameworks at the upcoming ITU conference in Doha.