*Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, says the workshop for attorneys-general will bridge knowledge gap as regards regulatory frameworks, and mechanisms for regulating communications towards digital transformation in the country

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has organised a workshop on strategic partnership with Attorneys-General on regulating communications and driving digital transformation in the country.

绿帽献妻 reports the interactive workshop held July 30-31, 2025, was aimed at identifying and bridging knowledge gap in connection with regulatory frameworks for regulating communications in Nigeria as a panacea for digital transformation.

The theme of the workshop is, “Building and Driving Synergy in Regulating Communications for Digital Transformation in Nigeria”.

Delivering his Keynote Address, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, commended the Nigerian Communications Commission for its foresight in pulling together the Chief Law Officers of the Federation to engage and exchange ideas on the platform.

Fagbemi stressed the forum was designed to identify and bridge knowledge gap with respect to regulatory frameworks, and strengthening mechanisms for regulating communications towards digital transformation in the West African country.

Significance of digital transformation, consumer protection in economy

Prince Fagbemi, in his address, said digital transformation is “critical to improvement in socio-economic development of a nation.”

The Minister also explained that a well-regulated communications sector implies enacting and implementing laws and regulations that ensure protection of rights including right to privacy, data protection and consumer rights as well as regulations that support the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

On the strategic objective of the workshop to judicial officers in the economy, Prince Fagbemi, the justice and judicial sector of the Nigerian economy are, therefore, critical components for regulating communications.

According to him, “this inevitably, entails upholding the rule of law by providing level playing fields for actors in the communications sector, preventing the exploitation of consumer rights through strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks and streamlining penal dispensation with a view to ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.”

Collaborative efforts at protecting information infrastructure

Emphasising the essence of stakeholders’ joint efforts at protecting the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), the Minister said particular attention must be given to evolving measures to curtail the destruction of these infrastructure, by ensuring offenders are brought to book.

The Attorney-General further acknowledged the ultimate importance of the telecoms in particular, and communication-wide industry to all other sectors of the economy.

He said: “It has been noted that Nigeria鈥檚 communications sector remains one of the dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors.

Referencing recent data from the Nigeria Communications Commission, Fagbemi noted that the country has over 220 million active voice subscriptions as of Q1 2025, with Broadband penetration now over 52 percent.

He also averred this connectivity “supports everything from remote education to financial inclusion in both urban and rural areas.”

On why the Nigerian Government prioritises the communications sector, the Minister for Justice stated: “This administration is focussed on leveraging advancement in the communications sector as a tool for development and transformation of the economy.”

Measures to address current industry challenges, by Minister

Fagbemi said despite the feat recorded in the communications sector and telecoms ecosystem towards attaining digital transformation, the effort is being hindered by some critical recurring challenges.

He listed such extant challenges to include multiple taxation and levies imposed by Federal, state and local authorities; wanton destruction of telecommunications infrastructure, especially in conflict-prone areas.

Others, the Minister said, include 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.

Relating recent incidence of sabotage of critical assets and comparatively high Right of Way costs, Prince Fagbemi said: “Specifically, 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 vandalisation 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, therefore, urged the three arms of Government – Executive, Legislature and Judiciary – as well as other stakeholders to cooperate and collaborate to address the identified industry issues and ensure improved regulation of the communications sector for enhanced socio-economic development.

The Minister asserted: “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.”

According to him, these measures are not only to be adopted at the Federal level.

Citing the Anambra State as a good example, he emphasised that state governments also play key roles.

“Through institutional and governmental cooperation, we can eliminate some of these challenges,” he noted.

Fagbemi equally said proactive measures like these are “laudable and I encourage all stakeholders to support the developmental efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission.”

He as well urged stakeholders to work towards adopting strategies and mechanisms that enhance synergy in regulating communications for the digital transformation in Nigeria.

These, he stated, include legal and policy harmonisation, 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.

The Minister said: “Attorneys-General as Chief Law Officers under the constitution are uniquely placed to drive synergy.

“We must be able to advise our respective governments on policies that affect the digital economy, ensure that our laws and enforcement actions are constitutionally sound and support dispute resolution mechanisms that prevent prolonged litigation.

We must also work to champion data privacy, cyber security and digital rights enforcement at the State level.”

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