Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, has called for a coordinated regulatory framework to enhance the country’s digital transformation drive.
Delivering the keynote address at a two-day workshop for State Attorneys-General in Kaduna in northern Nigeria, which opened on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, Fagbemi commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for initiating the dialogue and stressed that digital transformation was vital to the country’s socio-economic development.
He argued that the communication sector must be supported with strong legal and regulatory systems that uphold data privacy, consumer protection and ease of doing business.
“A well-regulated communications sector is a catalyst for inclusive development. The justice system plays a pivotal role in ensuring that laws are fair, effectively enforced and provide a level playing field for operators,” he said.
He highlighted Nigeria’s significant digital progress, pointing to over 220 million active voice subscribers and broadband penetration of over 52% as of Q1 2025.
According to him, this growth supports remote education, financial inclusion and access to services across urban and rural communities.
Fagbemi, however, warned that the sector still faces major obstacles, including multiple taxation by various levels of government, vandalism of telecom infrastructure, regulatory overlaps, and delays in broadband roll-out due to inconsistent Right-of-Way (ROW) policies.
He cited the 2024 incident in Ogun State, where overlapping levies led to the suspension of telecom expansion projects, and the 2023 vandalisation of base stations in Kano, both of which he described as acts of economic sabotage.
“These challenges must be addressed through a collaborative effort by the three arms of government. While the legislature strengthens existing laws, the executive must enforce them, and the judiciary ensures full legal accountability,” he said.
Fagbemi pointed to Anambra State’s success in 2023, where adoption of a unified ROW policy led to a 38% growth in fibre optic expansion within six months, as a model worth replicating.
“As Chief Law Officers, we must advise our governments to adopt policies that support the digital economy, ensure sound legal enforcement and promote data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital rights,” he said.
Fagbemi urged the participants to work with the NCC and all relevant stakeholders to build a more robust, inclusive, and secure communications sector that will serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s socio-economic growth.
He commended the organizers and stakeholders for their ongoing commitment to transform the Nigerian communications sector.
The workshop, which has theme “Building and Driving Synergy in Regulating Communications for Digital Transformation in Nigeria,” was convened by the NCC to foster collaboration between federal and state legal institutions.
GIK/APA