The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has called for stronger collaboration among African telecommunications regulators to improve the use of data, market intelligence and evidence-based policymaking in addressing emerging digital and communications challenges across the continent.
The call was made by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, at the Heads of Regulators Roundtable held during the African Telecommunications Union, ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26) in Abuja.
Maida said communications regulation has become increasingly critical to economic growth, digital transformation and national development in Africa, noting that regulators, despite operating under different legal and market environments, face similar challenges.
According to him, these include infrastructure development, cybersecurity, affordability of services, satellite communications, network resilience and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence technologies.
He stressed that greater cooperation among African regulators would enable institutions to share experiences, develop common solutions and strengthen regulatory outcomes across the continent.
“Very often, the challenge one regulator is trying to solve has already been encountered, in one form or another, by a colleague elsewhere on the continent,” Maida said.
He described the theme of the roundtable, “Building Africa’s Network Intelligence Ecosystem for Evidence-Based Regulation,” as timely and relevant, saying it provides an opportunity for regulators to explore how better use of data and market intelligence can support more informed decision-making.
“It gives us an opportunity to consider how better use of data, evidence and market intelligence can strengthen regulatory decisions, and how African regulators can learn more systematically from one another,” he added.
Chairing the roundtable, the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mrs. Rimini Makama, said the rapid expansion of broadband, satellite services, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital public infrastructure has made communications regulation more complex than ever.
She noted that while regulators now have access to increasing volumes of technical, market and consumer data, the priority should be converting such information into actionable intelligence that supports effective regulation and better consumer outcomes.
Makama stressed that regulators must move beyond traditional regulatory approaches to respond effectively to the evolving digital ecosystem.
The Heads of Regulators Roundtable forms part of ongoing efforts by African communications regulators to strengthen regional cooperation, promote evidence-based regulation and build more resilient, innovative and consumer-focused communications ecosystems across the continent.