*The Nigerian Communications Commission launches the 2025 Guidelines on Corporate Governance, signalling a new era of improved commitment to enforcement of audit standards, risk management, sustainability, investment security, and digital trust in the country’s fast-growing telecoms ecosystem

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

As a significant milestone in telecoms industry regulation, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched a fresh set of corporate governance guidelines, designed to ensure sustainability of the significant telecommunications sector of the economy.

绿帽献妻 reports the NCC launched the 2025 Guidelines on Corporate Governance as an indication of an era of improved commitment enforcement to enhance audit standards, risk management, and transparency within the country鈥檚 telecommunications sector.

The telecoms sector regulatory Commision Friday, August 8, 2025, in a blog note, also said the fundmental objective of the fresh guidelines is “to entrench a culture of sound corporate governance within communications companies, ensuring the highest standards of transparency, due process, data integrity, disclosure, accountability, and ethics across the industry.”

It is noted that the Nigerian telecoms industry is currently valued at $9.52 billion 2025, and it is projected to grow to $11.97 billion by 2030, according to a recent report by Mordor Intelligence.

With over 200 million active subscriptions, the Nigerian telecoms sector is one of the West African country鈥檚 most strategic growth engines.

Therefore, as one of the most critical drivers of the enraging Nigeria Digital Economy, the reported exponential growth of the sector has raised the stakes for ethical compliance and sound corporate governance.

Speaking at the launch event Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in Lagos, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, emphasised the importance of the 2025 guidelines.

Maida noted that the new Corporate Governance codes for telecoms are not merely a compliance tool, but a strategic framework for long-term sustainability, investment security, and digital trust in Nigeria鈥檚 fast-growing telecom ecosystem.

He also stated: 鈥庘�淭his launch is not just about compliance. It鈥檚 about sustainability of networks of investments of innovation and of customer trust.”

The NCC Executive Vice-Chairman explained the fresh guidelines represent a culmination of over a decade of regulatory evolution, beginning with the first voluntary code introduced in 2014.

Maida said the codes incorporated feedback from wide-ranging public consultations between 2023 and 2024, and adapted global best practices to the country’s unique business environment.

鈥嶵he new provisions, the EVC/CEO of NCC disclosed, will become mandatory for licensees in phases, beginning with priority licence classes.

Key highlights of 2025 Guidelines on Corporate Governance

The Commission listed the major objectives of the new guidelines to include strengthened Board of Directors’ structure with emphasis on sector-specific expertise.

Others are greater transparency through certified mid-year and annual compliance reports; and stronger internal controls and enterprise risk management.

The document also stresses the importance of mandated ESG and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosures with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency.

Connecting corporate governance to operational resilience and investor confidence in telecommunications, Dr. Maida said: 鈥庘�淥ur analysis last year showed that firms with strong governance outperformed others in financial returns, regulatory compliance, and service delivery.”

The NCC Chief Executive, therefore, urged the telecoms operators to take the new industry Corporate Governance guidelines as a 鈥渢oolkit for sustainable value creation鈥� rather than a regulatory burden.

Maida further reminded the MNOs to invest in Director education to enhance risk management systems, and tie executive performance to governance-linked outcomes in their firms.

Restating the Commission’s continued support for network operators, the EVC/CEO reiterated the NCC’s commitment to 鈥渆ngage, enable and enforce鈥攊n that order.鈥�

He noted: 鈥淭his is a decisive step towards a resilient, ethical and innovative telecoms industry.”

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