Industry Sustainability: How NCC New Leadership Is Changing The Game
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is relentlessly championing the telecommunications sector’s sustainability agenda, available information has revealed.
The NCC strategy, according to information, is simple, aligning Nigeria’s telecom sector with global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
At the forefront driving the agenda is Mr Aminu Maida, the Chief Executive Officer of the telecom regulatory body, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on October 11, 2023.
And he favoured multi-faceted approach with renewed vision for sustainable telecom taking the lead, sources in the know maintained.
As a matter of fact, the man who previously served as Executive Director, Technology & Operations at Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) before his new appointment, has always highlighted important role of corporate governance in achieving industry sustainability.
This was exactly his position at the 2024 Annual Corporate Governance Conference themed “CORPORATE SURVIVAL AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE NEW FACE OF GOVERNANCE.” where he insisted that, “Corporate governance is not just a regulatory requirement; it serves as the foundation for the success and sustainability of our industry.”
While it’s mandatory for NCC’s to submit annual compliance reports, with no-compliance attracting penalties, findings revealed that a cornerstone of the sustainability agenda is the Corporate Governance Code.
And this is ultimately fostering a telecom environment that is not only economically viable but also socially responsible and environmentally conscious.
Those who are familiar with Mr Maida’s leadership style say he believes that sustainability reporting arms stakeholders with insights into how telecom operators manage risks and opportunities related to sustainability.
Interestingly, this NCC’s position is in tandem with Nigeria’s broader commitment to adopting International Financial Reporting Standards for environmental and climate-related disclosures, aiming for full compliance by 2027.
In its bid to further enhance digital inclusivity, the NCC launched the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN), targeting a broadband penetration rate of 70% by the end of 2025.
Collaborating with state governments, telecom operators, and infrastructure companies, NCC is poised to push internet connectivity to underserved areas, including schools, healthcare facilities, and markets.
The National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN), which aligns with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (2020–2025), aims to provide minimum data speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural areas.
The regulator of the nation’s telecom sector is apparently and unrelentingly promoting digital literacy to drive an inclusive telecommunications industry.
“Recognizing the importance of digital skills in socio-economic development, the NCC, through its Digital Bridge Institute, has partnered with institutions like Nile University to provide advanced digital literacy training,” a source familiar with the program disclosed.
Programs such as the Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) aim to equip faculty and staff with essential digital competencies, including data analysis and productivity tools, as a result of such partnerships.
NCC officials revealed over 2000 youth – equipped with laptops and networking devices to foster digital entrepreneurship in the push for an inclusive telecom sector – were empowered through Commission’s Digital Job Creation for Youths (DJCY) program.
NCC, under Mr Maida’s watch, is making significant strides in laying the groundwork for a telecom sector that is resilient and inclusive,
This, NCC sources disclosed, aligned with global best practices regarding data security and combating fraud.
Sources said NCC is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria to develop a robust framework to combat fraud in mobile financial services, with Maida described as keen on the need for stringent data protection measures because of the possible dire consequences breaches pose for both individual companies and the sector as a whole.
Devising unconventional approach, the NCC also took the inclusivity agenda into healthcare.
In a significant step that seeks to address the needs of over 60% of Nigeria’s rural population lacking access to functional primary healthcare centers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) commissioned an e-Health Project at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, in May 2025.
Reacting to turn of events, Maida said: “This attests to our collective efforts to harness the power of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve and revolutionise the health sector in Nigeria in a manner that better serves citizens.”
“The completion of this e-Health Project is a testament to the Nigerian Communications Commission’s commitment to driving innovation, research, and growth in our nation’s digital economy,” he added.
He went on to share optimism that the project would enhance the adoption of ICT in the nation’s health sector.
Perhaps the most telling for Nigerians across social cadres is the recent directive by the Commission that telecommunication companies should compensate subscribers for prolonged outages.
The NCC will be providing transparency through its Major Outage Reporting Portal.
“By providing consumers and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry with timely and transparent information on network outages, we are entrenching a culture of accountability and transparency. This approach also ensures that culprits are held responsible for sabotage to telecommunications infrastructure,” said Edoyemi Ogor, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity.
The development is expected to make the telecommunications companies—led by the big three: MTN, Airtel, and Glo—not just more responsible but also foster better rapport with their subscribers.
It comes on the heels of new billing regulations revamping the telecom industry.
After 12 years of unchanged tariffs, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50% increase (as the upper limit), amid challenging macroeconomic conditions, in January 2025.
The approved rate—which the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, attributed to global inflation and rising operational costs—was a reduction from the 100% initially proposed by the telcos under the banner of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
The tariff came into play on February 17, 2025.
