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Caption: Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management speaking at the workshop in Lagos on Thursday
By Anthony Isibor
THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has called for stronger judicial collaboration in safeguarding telecommunications infrastructure, tackling cybercrime, and strengthening online safety as Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly.
Speaking on Thursday at the opening of the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the judiciary would play a decisive role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the country’s fast-growing digital economy had created both opportunities and legal challenges requiring deeper judicial understanding and intervention.
He described the theme of the workshop “Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety” as timely, noting that issues around digital connectivity, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection had become central to national development.
According to him, Nigeria’s digital ecosystem has witnessed significant growth over the past year, with broadband penetration rising from 47.7 per cent in 2025 to 54.3 per cent in 2026.
He disclosed that Nigerians consumed over 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026 alone, compared to 995,000 terabytes recorded in March 2025, representing a sharp increase in internet usage nationwide.
“This is roughly equivalent to Nigerians watching over 15 million hours of high-definition video every single day,” he said.
The NCC boss also revealed that telecommunications operators invested more than $1 billion in network expansion in 2025, leading to the deployment of thousands of new telecom sites across the country to improve service quality and coverage.
Despite the progress, Maida warned that the sector remained vulnerable to persistent attacks on telecom infrastructure, including vandalism, fibre cuts, equipment theft, and sabotage.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had officially designated telecommunications assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure, underscoring their importance to national security and economic stability.
According to him, the Commission is collaborating with security agencies, operators, and other stakeholders to strengthen protection measures through nationwide asset mapping, public sensitisation campaigns, mediation efforts, and stricter enforcement mechanisms.
He added that collaboration between the NCC and the Office of the National Security Adviser had already led to the disruption of criminal syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment.
On cybercrime and identity fraud, Maida said the NCC had introduced the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to address SIM-related fraud, number recycling abuses, and identity theft.
He further disclosed that the Commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Bank of Nigeria to support efforts aimed at combating electronic fraud linked to phone numbers and financial services.
The NCC, he said, also plans to deepen collaboration with agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Identity Management Commission in the fight against cybercrime.
Maida also expressed concern over rising online harms such as misinformation, hate speech, child exploitation, and data privacy breaches, stating that the Commission had reviewed its Internet Code of Practice to promote responsible internet governance while balancing innovation with consumer protection.
Addressing the judges, he said the courts would increasingly be required to interpret laws, resolve disputes, and establish precedents that would shape investor confidence and trust within Nigeria’s digital economy.
He said the two-day workshop would feature expert presentations and panel discussions on telecommunications infrastructure resilience, artificial intelligence, subscriber identity management, cybersecurity, and internet governance.
Maida reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to sustained collaboration with the National Judicial Institute through continued capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving justice delivery in telecommunications and digital-related matters.
A.I
May 14, 2026
Tags: Aminu Maida NCC Nigerian Communications Commission President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Rimini Makama