The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the judiciary have reaffirmed their commitment to deeper collaboration aimed at safeguarding connectivity, protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening online safety as Nigeria accelerates into a digital future.
The reaffirmation came at the opening of the 2026 Workshop for Justices and Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications, jointly organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The two-day workshop, held in Lagos, brought together Supreme Court justices, judges of federal and state high courts, regulators and industry stakeholders to deliberate on the theme: “Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety.”
Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, represented by NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, painted a vivid picture of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
He revealed that broadband penetration had surged from 47.7 per cent in 2025 to 54.3 per cent in 2026, while data consumption had reached unprecedented levels.
“In March 2026 alone, Nigerians consumed over 1.42 million terabytes of data, equivalent to more than 15 million hours of high definition video every single day,” he said.
Maida noted that telecom operators invested over $1 billion in network expansion last year, underscoring the sector’s resilience and its critical role in economic growth.
He warned that progress was under constant threat from vandalism, fibre cuts, theft of equipment and sabotage.
Maida noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had designated telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, requiring whole-of-government protection.
He also said the NCC is working closely with security agencies and the Office of the National Security Adviser to disrupt syndicates involved in telecom equipment theft.
He further disclosed that the Commission had also launched the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to combat SIM card fraud, number recycling and identity-related abuses.
Earlier, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, represented by Honourable Justice Musa Saulawa, emphasised that courts must adapt to the realities of a digital society.
“Governance, commerce, financial transactions, education and social interaction now depend substantially on digital connectivity,” she observed.
According to her, with this dependence come complex legal questions around regulation, accountability, rights protection and institutional responsibility.
She stressed on judiciary’s growing involvement in disputes over cyber fraud, privacy violations, misinformation and infrastructure protection, among others.
She called for the need for judicial officers to balance freedom of expression with public safety and privacy, applying legal principles with discipline and foresight.
Kekere-Ekun further noted that Nigerian courts must be equally prepared to shape the legal architecture of the digital age.
She explained the mutual responsibility between regulators and the judiciary. “Judgments of courts are not merely advisory opinions; they constitute authoritative statements of the law and form an essential framework within which regulatory discretion must operate,” she said.
She added that sustainable sectoral development, depends on regulators respecting judicial interpretations while courts uphold independence and fidelity to the rule of law.
Similarly, Administrator of the NJI, Justice B. A. Adejumo, described connectivity as fundamental to human existence and national stability.
He warned of rising privacy vulnerabilities, surveillance concerns, misinformation and algorithmic biases, noting that the judiciary must distinguish between meaningful connection and digital exploitation.
Adejumo emphasised the judiciary’s role in harmonising freedom of expression with privacy and security, requiring a sophisticated grasp of telecommunications law.
He also called for stronger inter-agency collaboration to tackle vandalism, fibre optic damage, and risks posed by over-the-top services and the Internet of Things.
