The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has highlighted Nigeria’s telecommunications regulatory achievements and the sector’s growing contribution to the nation’s economy at the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-26) held in Ankara, Türkiye.
The symposium, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), took place from May 12 to 15, 2026, at the headquarters of Türkiye’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).
The annual gathering brought together telecommunications regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the world to discuss emerging trends, challenges, and regulatory frameworks shaping the global digital economy.
Speaking during a panel session titled “Harnessing the Power of Transformative Tech: Regulatory Approaches,” Dr. Maida joined other global telecom regulators and experts, including Carlos Manuel Baigorri, President of Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL); Philip Marnick, Director General of Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA); and Donna Bethea-Murphy of Viasat Inc.
The discussions focused on how regulators can develop policies that support innovation while ensuring accountability and consumer protection in an increasingly digital world.
Dr. Maida said the NCC has continued to strengthen a regulatory framework driven by transparency, data intelligence, and consumer empowerment.
“We shared what we have been building at the NCC — a regulatory system that prioritises data and transparency; how we are moving from data collection to data intelligence, and from mere public transparency to transparency that empowers consumers and holds operators more accountable,” he stated.
According to him, initiatives such as the Commission’s Public Maps, industry statistics, Quarterly Network Performance Reports, and simplified reporting frameworks are helping consumers better understand telecom service delivery while also supporting the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
At the Regulators’ Roundtable session, Dr. Maida also outlined some of Nigeria’s major regulatory priorities, including strengthening accountability within the internet ecosystem through the Internet Code of Practice, improving cyber resilience in the telecom sector through the NCC’s Cyber Resilience Framework, and promoting collaboration among public institutions to ensure coordinated digital market governance.
He further noted that the Commission is working towards building an incentive-driven telecommunications market through effective spectrum management and infrastructure regulation.
Since its launch in 2000, the Global Symposium for Regulators has served as a major international platform where heads of telecom and ICT regulatory agencies exchange ideas, share experiences, and adopt best practice guidelines for the communications industry.
The event also fosters dialogue among regulators, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and technology experts on the future of digital regulation and governance.