The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set a firm deadline of March 20, 2026, for stakeholders to submit their inputs on the overhaul of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP), a document that has not been updated for a quarter of a century.

This deadline marks a critical milestone in the race to modernize Nigeria’s digital framework. The current policy, drafted in 2000, belongs to an era before smartphones, 5G, and the internet economy defined daily life. The NCC’s move to review it is an admission that the regulatory bedrock of Africa’s largest telecom market is dangerously outdated.

Rewriting the Digital Rulebook

Nnenna Ukoha, the NCC’s Head of Public Affairs, announced that 15 key policy proposals are on the table. These proposals form the baseline for a new NTP that aims to align Nigeria with the "Minister’s Strategic Blueprint." The review is being steered by a Ministerial Committee headed by Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.

The stakes are incredibly high. The new policy will dictate the rules of engagement for spectrum management, universal access, and the contentious issue of net neutrality. It seeks to solve the persistent quality of service (QoS) issues that plague Nigerian consumers while incentivizing investment in broadband penetration in underserved rural areas.

• The Deadline: Submissions close on March 20, 2026.
• The Gap: The existing policy is 25 years old (NTP 2000).
• The Focus: Spectrum, Broadband, Net Neutrality, and Quality of Service.
• The Leader: Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani is driving the reform.

Industry reaction

Telecommunication giants and internet service providers are scrambling to finalize their position papers. There is palpable anxiety that the new policy could introduce stricter compliance measures or alter the pricing architecture of data. However, there is also hope that it will finally address the "right of way" charges and multiple taxation issues that have stifled infrastructure rollout for years.

"We are operating a 2026 economy on a 2000 policy engine," remarked one industry insider. "This review isn’t just necessary; it is an emergency." The NCC has opened a dedicated email channel for submissions, signaling a desire for broad consultation.

The Path Forward

Once the consultation closes, the Implementation Committee will synthesize the feedback into a draft policy. The goal is to accelerate "collective prosperity through technical efficiency." For the average Nigerian, the success of this review will be measured not in policy documents, but in whether their data connection stops dropping and whether internet access becomes affordable enough to be a true utility.