WATRA was a lead presenter at the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) National Telecommunications Policy Review Workshop, which held on, the 20th and 21st of May 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The workshop, which was themed “The National Telecommunications Policy 2000: Implementation, Milestones and Next Steps”, was organized as part of NCC’s ongoing efforts to update the country’s telecommunications policy framework to align with current realities, technological advancements, and the evolving needs of the Nigerian digital economy. The workshop sought to review the country’s National Telecommunications Policy 2000, carrying out a public consultative process on the formulation or modification of the policy.

Participants reviewed the implementation of the policy, developed next steps for the review and finalization of the policy, and deliberated on key thematic areas and proffered recommendations for the development of a new Draft National Telecommunications Policy 2026. They discussed areas which included Cybersecurity and Trust, Consumer Affairs and Online Safety, Technical Regulation and Spectrum Management, and Emerging Technologies. The workshop highlighted the great strides made by NCC under the leadership of NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida in driving market growth, sustenance, and evolution in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, WATRA’s Executive Secretary, was invited to participate in the workshop in view of WATRA’s pivotal role in promoting regulatory harmonization and ICT development across West Africa, as well as for his experience with regional policy coordination, regulatory frameworks, and digital economy initiatives. Engr. Aboki was the lead presenter on the panel session titled “International Telecommunications Policy Approaches and Best Practices”, wherein the panelists discussed different policy approaches across different jurisdictions, particularly key thematic issues around convergence, overlaps, and collaborative regulations.  

“The National Telecommunications Policy 2000 successfully helped connect millions of Nigerians and catalyzed one of Africa’s most important telecommunications transformations,” Engr. Aboki stated during his presentation. “However, the next phase of transformation must go further. Nigeria’s digital transformation strategy must be grounded in its own socio-economic context. The challenge is not merely to digitize existing services, but to develop digital products and platforms that are accessible, usable, affordable, and relevant regardless of a citizen’s location, income level, or educational background. Nigeria has already demonstrated that bold policy reform can reshape a nation. The next challenge is to help shape the future of Africa’s digital economy itself.”