NCC Urges Coherence To Shape Africa’s Telecom, Digital Economy Future

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on member – states of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) to prepare together and speak with greater coherence on the issues shaping the future of global telecommunications and the digital economy.

The executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, gave this charge on Monday in Abuja, while declaring open the 7th Ordinary Session of the Conference Preparatory Committee (CPC-26) of ATU ahead of the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiary (CPL-26), where the committee will also consider reports for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary conference which will take place in Doha, Qatar in November 2026.

The NCC Boss said the continent needs greater alignment ahead of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, a practical mechanism for collaboration between former conferences and a stronger commitment to sustained technical participation in ITU processes.

“Africa must prepare together, work together between meetings and arrive at a global forum from positions that are both coherent and technically compelling,” he said.

He noted that CPC-26 will determine the direction and priorities of the continental union, while ITU PP26 will determine the direction, leadership, and priorities of the global union.

He said, “Our work here must serve purposes, clearly strengthening ATU as Africa’s coordinating institution while ensuring that Africa is well-prepared to participate effectively at the ITU.

“Africa’s influence in the international forum does not depend on the size of our delegations or the number of interventions we make but it depends on the quality of our preparations, the coherence of our positions and the consistency with which we advance them.

“We must reconcile different perspectives and build technically sound positions. Africa’s voice carries greater weight, but if that preparation is delayed our influence will inevitably reduce.”

Dr Maida explained that issues around telecommunications and the digital economy are increasingly complex and interconnected; therefore, Africa must demonstrate capacity in spectrum harmonisation across borders, the governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems, and a data protection framework that can support African digital trade.

He also emphasised universal access in communities where commercial investment alone may not be sufficient and urged concerted efforts to address cybersecurity threats that cross national boundaries.

“No administration can address these challenges effectively in isolation. Our regulatory cooperation must become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalized. Coordination should not begin only when a conference agenda is circulated and it should not end when delegates leave the room.

“Our objective as Africa is not to resist global standards; it is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities. Africa is one of the world’s most dynamic digital regions. The scale of mobile adoption, the innovation we have seen in digital financial services and the number of young people coming online mean that decisions on spectrum, digital identity, AI, connectivity and digital trust will have profound consequences across our continent, he said.

The NCC boss commended the Secretary General of ATU, Joseph Omo, for coordinating Africa’s positions during his 8 -year tenure, where he supported a more coherent voice within the ITU and other international forums, adding that such achievement came through diligent work patiently built and through the difficult work of reconciling national perspectives around common continental interests.

He assured that Nigeria remains a consistent and dependable partner of the ATU, and pledged the country’s continued contribution in technical expertise and shared regulatory experience.

Secretary General Joseph Omo, in his remarks, said the Committee will present recommendations and proposals that will guide Africa’s digital future, adding that in the course of his tenure, membership of the union has grown from 49 to 52 and from 50 to 56 Associates.

He noted that the union has also made great efforts to address cyber security, promote child online safety, internet governance, and broadband rollout as well as internet exchange.

Permanent secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, in his remarks, lauded the efforts by stakeholders to advance Africa’s regional digital transformation agenda, even as he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing regional digital integration, innovation, and sustainable socio-economic development across Africa.