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By Chinenye Anuforo
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For years, Nigeria’s telecom operators, startups, fintech firms and other digital businesses have voiced concerns over what they describe as an increasingly complex regulatory environment, warning that overlapping oversight by multiple government agencies has raised compliance costs, slowed innovation and weakened investor confidence.
Those concerns appear to have finally caught the attention of the Federal Government.
Earlier this month, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr.Bosun Tijani, directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to suspend new cross-cutting regulations affecting internet platforms and digital businesses pending the development of a harmonised national framework. The directive is intended to eliminate regulatory conflicts, provide greater certainty for businesses and create a more coordinated approach to governing Nigeria’s digital economy.
While industry stakeholders have welcomed the move, many insist that harmonisation alone will not solve the problem unless it results in a simpler, predictable and transparent regulatory framework.
The issue of regulatory overlap is far from new. For years, industry groups including the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have argued that as technology continues to converge, businesses increasingly find themselves dealing with multiple regulators over similar issues.
The challenge has become more pronounced with the rapid growth of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, fintech, cybersecurity and data protection. Businesses that once dealt primarily with telecom regulation now also interact with agencies responsible for data governance, online platforms, consumer protection and digital innovation.
Industry leaders said the result is duplicated compliance obligations, multiple reporting requirements and uncertainty over regulatory jurisdiction.
The industry’s concerns have been reiterated repeatedly over the years by its leading advocacy groups.
At its Annual General Meeting recently, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), its President, Tony IzuagbeEmoekpere, described rising regulatory overlap as a major disincentive to the growth of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. Speaking at a forum themed “Impact of Adjacent Agencies on the Nigerian Telecom Sector: The Way Forward,” Emoekpere lamented what he described as the growing interference of non-core regulators in the sector.
According to him, several unrelated government agencies had begun imposing levies and operational regulations on telecom operators, creating what he described as “an unpredictable and hostile investment environment.” He warned that operators could no longer continue in a situation where multiple agencies sought to charge the same companies for overlapping services, stressing that such duplication was unsustainable. He therefore called for a unified regulatory model that would streamline oversight, eliminate conflicting policies and provide certainty for investors.
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has expressed similar concerns. Its Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, has consistently argued that regulatory uncertainty arising from overlapping jurisdiction among government agencies creates commercial and legal uncertainty for operators and undermines investor confidence.
Speaking during industry discussions on regulatory conflicts affecting the telecommunications sector, Adebayo noted that investors pay close attention to how regulatory disputes are managed. According to him, markets where regulatory responsibilities are unclear and resolving such disputes causes business disruption are less attractive to long-term investment. He maintained that regulatory certainty is critical to sustaining investment in digital infrastructure and expanding Nigeria’s digital economy.
Adebayo reiterated the same position during deliberations on the proposed National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, where ALTON cautioned against creating overlapping mandates between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The association recommended a clear delineation of responsibilities among regulators, stronger institutional collaboration and a coordinated digital governance framework involving the NCC, NITDA, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and other relevant agencies to prevent duplication and improve regulatory efficiency.
These concerns, consistently raised by industry stakeholders over the years, provide important context for the Federal Government’s recent directive to harmonise digital regulations. For many operators, the initiative represents an opportunity to address long-standing complaints that fragmented regulation has increased compliance costs, delayed investment decisions and complicated the operating environment for businesses across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
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For many technology companies, regulatory overlap is not merely an administrative inconvenience it carries real financial consequences.
Apart from statutory licence fees, businesses often incur additional expenses on legal advisory services, compliance audits, documentation, policy interpretation and regulatory engagements.
“Startups are particularly vulnerable,” said technology analyst and CEO of Jidaw System Limited.
“Unlike established telecom operators with dedicated compliance teams, early-stage technology companies often operate with limited resources. Every additional compliance requirement represents funds that could otherwise be invested in product development, talent acquisition or business expansion”, he stated.
Stakeholders noted that uncertainty itself carries a cost. Investors generally prefer markets where regulatory responsibilities are clearly defined and predictable. Where multiple agencies appear to regulate similar activities, investors may delay funding decisions until there is greater clarity.
The timing of the government’s intervention showed the growing importance of the digital economy to Nigeria.
According to recent industry data, telecommunications contributed 9.19 per cent to Nigeria’s real GDP in the first quarter of 2026, while Nigerians spent about ₦3.33 trillion on internet data during the same period. The sector has become one of the country’s largest contributors to economic growth.
With more than 182 million active telephone subscriptions, Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest digital markets, making regulatory efficiency increasingly important to sustaining investment and innovation.
Stakeholders opined that a sector of such strategic importance requires a regulatory framework that is coordinated, predictable and responsive to emerging technologies rather than one characterised by overlapping mandates.
Awe particularly argued that the government’s latest initiative presented an opportunity to address years of industry concerns.
Among his expectations are clearly defined responsibilities for each regulator, a unified compliance framework, reduced duplication of reporting obligations, improved stakeholder consultation before introducing new regulations and greater regulatory certainty for investors.
He also believe stronger collaboration among the NCC, NITDA and NDPC will become increasingly important as technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital platforms continue to blur traditional regulatory boundaries.
Despite the optimism, observers cautioned that the success of the harmonisation initiative will ultimately depend on implementation rather than policy announcements.
For many businesses, the objective has never been less regulation but better regulation, one that protects consumers, safeguards data, encourages innovation and provides investors with the certainty required to commit long-term capital.
