Nigeria’s Minister of Justice Highlights Synergy in Regulating Communications for Digital Transformationp
Oru Leonard
The Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, delivered a keynote address at the workshop for Attorneys-General of State on building and driving synergy in regulating communications for digital transformation in Nigeria.
Fagbemi said that Nigeria’s communications sector remains one of the dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors in the country. ‘According to recent data from the Nigeria Communications Commission, Nigeria has over 220Million active voice subscriptions as of Q1 2025, with broadband penetration now over 52%”. This connectivity supports everything from remote education to financial inclusion in both urban and rural areas. This administration is focussed on leveraging advancement in the communications sector as a tool for development and transformation of the economy”, he explained.
However, he noted that the transformation is being hindered by some critical recurring challenges including, multiple taxation and levies imposed by federal, state and local authorities; wanton destruction of telecommunications infrastructure, especially in conflict-prone areas; regulatory overlaps that confuse operators and complicate compliance; slow broadband infrastructure roll-out which is due in part to right-of-way challenges and inconsistent state policies, among others.
The Attorney General specifically mentioned certain unfortunate incidents have been recorded such as the Ogun State Multiple taxation incident in 2024 which saw the temporary suspension of expansion projects as a result of overlapping local government levies, as well as vandalization of base stations in Kano in 2023. “These incidents constitute economic sabotage, negatively impact the development of the communications sector and hinder digital transformation in the country”, he lamented.
He urged the three arms of Government, and stakeholders to cooperate and collaborate to address these issues and ensure improved regulation of the communications sector for enhanced socio-economic development. The legislature must review and strengthen laws that protect infrastructure and support the communications sector, while the executive reinforce measures aimed at implementing these laws. The judiciary is also a key stakeholder in ensuring offenders and saboteurs are made to face the full wrath of the law.
“These measures are not only to be adopted at the Federal level. State governments also play key roles. Through institutional and governmental cooperation, we can eliminate some of these challenges, such as in 2023 when Anambra State proactively adopted a unified right-of-way policy, resulting in a 38% increase in fibre optic expansion within 6months. Proactive measures like these are laudable and I encourage all stakeholders to support the developmental efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission.
“I therefore wish to recommend that stakeholders work towards adopting strategies and mechanisms that enhance synergy in regulating communications for the digital transformation in Nigeria. These include legal and policy harmonization, creation of a Federal-State regulatory coordination forum, adopting uniform Right of Way (ROW) Policy Implementation, joint enforcement of laws that protect infrastructure and consolidation of digital taxation framework”, Fagbemi concluded.
Cover Photo Caption, L-R: Head, Legal & Regulatory Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Chizua Whyte; Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele; Attorney General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, SAN; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida; and Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Barr. Rimini Makama, during the 1st edition of a two-day Annual Workshop for Attorneys General on Emerging Issues in the Communications Industry, hosted by the Commission which started in Lagos on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
