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By Chinenye Anuforo
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) have deepened collaboration aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital safety architecture, protecting telecommunications infrastructure, and addressing emerging cyber threats in the country’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
This was the focus of discussions at the 2026 Workshop for Justices and Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications held on Thursday in Lagos, where top judicial officers, telecom regulators, industry stakeholders, and security experts gathered to examine the legal and regulatory challenges shaping Nigeria’s digital future.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the increasing adoption of digital technologies across Nigeria has created enormous economic opportunities, while also exposing the country to rising cybersecurity risks, online harms, and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
The workshop, themed “Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety,” highlighted the growing importance of the judiciary in safeguarding the digital ecosystem and ensuring that technological advancement remains anchored on the rule of law.
Maida disclosed that Nigerians consumed over 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026 alone, compared to 995,000 terabytes recorded in March 2025, underscoring the rapid growth in internet usage driven by digital payments, streaming, e-commerce, online learning, and fintech services.
He added that broadband penetration in the country has increased from 47.7 per cent last year to 54.3 per cent this year, enabling millions more Nigerians to access faster and more reliable internet services.
According to him, telecommunications operators also invested more than $1 billion in network expansion in 2025, deploying thousands of additional sites nationwide to improve service quality, network resilience, and connectivity.
Despite the sector’s growth, Maida warned that cybercrime, identity theft, fibre cuts, vandalism, misinformation, online fraud, and digital abuse continue to pose serious threats to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
He noted that telecommunications infrastructure has now been officially designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reflecting its strategic importance to national security, economic stability, governance, and public safety.
“The telecommunications sector remains central to Nigeria’s digital transformation and economic growth. However, this progress also comes with significant risks that require stronger institutional collaboration and legal protection,” Maida said.
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The NCC boss revealed that the Commission is working closely with security agencies, operators, and other stakeholders to intensify protection of telecom infrastructure and combat criminal syndicates involved in equipment theft and sabotage.
He also disclosed that the Commission has strengthened efforts to combat identity-related crimes through the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), designed to track and mitigate SIM-related fraud, identity theft, and cyber-enabled financial crimes.
According to him, the NCC has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to improve visibility within the financial services ecosystem and strengthen the fight against electronic fraud linked to telecommunications services.
Maida further stressed the need for stronger online safety frameworks amid growing concerns over misinformation, hate speech, data privacy breaches, child exploitation, and other cybersecurity threats associated with the digital space.
“My Lords, as judges, you are increasingly being called upon to interpret laws, adjudicate disputes, and set precedents that will determine how these complex issues are resolved,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Justice B.A. Adejumo, described the judiciary as a critical institution in balancing constitutional freedoms with privacy, security, and digital rights in an increasingly connected society.
Adejumo said connectivity has become central to socio-economic development, governance, industrial growth, and national stability, but warned that emerging technologies and digital platforms have also introduced complex legal and ethical challenges.
“The Bench plays a pivotal role in harmonizing the right to freedom of expression with the competing demands of privacy and security,” he said.
He emphasised the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration among the NCC, judiciary, and other government institutions to address persistent challenges such as fibre-optic vandalism, risks associated with Over-the-Top (OTT) services, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and digital infrastructure sabotage.
The NJI administrator also commended the NCC under Dr. Maida for sustaining its partnership with the Institute in building judicial capacity around digital regulation, telecommunications law, and emerging technologies.
Stakeholders at the event noted that the workshop comes at a critical time as Nigeria accelerates its digital economy agenda while grappling with increasing cybersecurity threats, online safety concerns, and legal disputes tied to Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms, and evolving communication technologies.
