The narrative of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is shifting from mere connectivity struggles to a new era of legislative enforcement, following the revelation that the long-anticipated Digital Economy Bill is poised for presidential assent.
This legislative milestone was the focal point of the 2025 Minister-Regulator and Telecoms Executive Forum held in Abuja, where the conversation moved beyond infrastructure complaints to the tangible legal frameworks that will define the country’s economic future.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, indicated that the impending Act is set to be the definitive game-changer for the industry.
Unlike previous policies, this bill offers statutory backing for digital signatures and establishes a rigid framework for government technology adoption.
The implication for the average Nigerian and the business community is a complete overhaul of public sector automation, effectively legitimising digital transactions in a way that current regulations have struggled to enforce.
However, the optimism surrounding the new bill was tempered by the government’s admission that statutory laws cannot function without physical security.
Dr. Tijani conceded that the sector’s growth is currently hemmed in by persistent sabotage, specifically fibre-optic cable cuts and Right of Way disputes.
In a significant shift in strategy, the Ministry confirmed it is now collaborating directly with the Office of the National Security Adviser to treat these assets as critical national infrastructure, signalling a move to treat vandalism as a major security threat rather than a mere civil disturbance.
Echoing the need for a secured environment, ATCON President Mr. Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere argued that the industry’s digital ambitions rest entirely on the backbone of physical infrastructure.
He noted that while tariff adjustments are currently in play to keep the sector solvent, the real test lies in the synergy between policy and protection.
Emoekpere emphasised that affordability and service quality can only be sustained if the government successfully eliminates the bottlenecks of vandalism and exorbitant Right of Way charges that currently plague the last-mile operators.
The forum, which operated under the theme of driving the economy through policy and synergy, concluded with the Telecoms Excellence Awards.
The ceremony highlighted that political will is improving at the sub-national level, with the governors of Benue, Cross River, Ogun, and Nasarawa States receiving recognition alongside the Minister for their roles in fostering an ICT-friendly environment.
Experts at the event noted that if the new Bill is implemented alongside the proposed security measures, Nigeria could finally transition from a potential digital hub to a dominant continental force.
