The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been commended by the National Assembly over the steady growth in the country’s telecommunications industry, which is expected to see a significant increase in 2025.
https://www.digital.zenithbank.com/ZEQ/ZEQ-jan-2026/index.html#p=1The NCC received the commendation recently when it presented its proposed ₦472 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, during which it also projected N207 billion remittances into the Federation Account and another N20 billion to aid telecommunications advancing in rural areas.
At the joint budget defence session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Communications, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the regulator is seeking ₦472 billion in total expenditure for 2026, in line with the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework
The session was chaired by Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications, alongside the Chairman of the House Committee on Communications, Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi.
Maida, who spoke through the Commission’s Head of Finance, James Kalu, also addressed questions on service quality and utilisation of previously approved funds.
He said the telecommunications sector recorded a growth rate of 5.17% in 2025, maintaining its position as one of the most resilient contributors to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He attributed the sector’s performance to continued infrastructure expansion and increasing demand for digital services nationwide.
According to him, regulatory actions and investments by telecom operators led to the deployment and upgrade of about 2,800 telecom sites across the country in 2025, boosting network capacity and expanding broadband penetration by six per cent to approximately 50 per cent nationwide.
The Commission also reported improvements in internet performance indicators during the period, with average data speeds increasing by about 24 per cent—from roughly 16 megabits per second to around 20 megabits per second.
Despite acknowledging the sector’s progress, lawmakers expressed concern over persistent service quality challenges in several parts of the country, including the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The lawmakers requested further clarification on the Commission’s long-term digital strategy, including its 2036 roadmap, spectrum management plans, Right-of-Way framework, and data retention policies.
In response, the NCC assured the National Assembly of its commitment to strengthening regulatory compliance, enhancing consumer protection, and expanding telecommunications infrastructure as part of Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.
They urged the NCC to strengthen regulatory oversight to ensure Nigerians enjoy reliable and affordable telecommunications services.
Lawmakers also scrutinised the Commission’s financial performance, pointing to discrepancies between approved budgets and actual spending in the previous fiscal year. According to the legislators, of the ₦95 billion approved for recurrent expenditure in 2025, about ₦73 billion was utilised, while only about ₦7 billion of the ₦10 billion allocated for capital projects was spent.
However, the committees commended the NCC for its strong revenue contribution to the Federal Government. While the Commission initially projected about ₦30 billion in remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2025, it ultimately remitted ₦102 billion.
For the 2026 fiscal year, the NCC proposed ₦424 billion for recurrent expenditure and ₦15 billion for capital and special projects.
