Abuja: The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled its General Authorisation Framework (GAF) to enhance growth in the industry and empower underserved communities. The commission did the unveiling during a stakeholder engagement for the Nigerian Telecoms Industry on Thursday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event brought together key players from the telecommunications sector to discuss the future of digital innovation in Nigeria. The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stated that the sector had become a symbol of innovation and progress, revolutionising communication, improving access to information, and reshaping business operations. Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, highlighted the progress made in the telecommunications sector over the past 24 years.
He mentioned that the sector was at a turning point, with disruptive innovations accelerating the evolution of the communications ecosystem. The rapid uptake of mobile technologies, surging data consumption, and an increasing appetite for digital services are driving this progress. Maida underscored the necessity for a regulatory paradigm that is responsive and enabling, as broadband penetration continues to grow and digital literacy rises.
Technological innovation is accelerating globally and nationally, according to Maida, who stressed the need for a regulatory paradigm that allows innovators to experiment without unnecessary restrictions. The introduced framework is seen as a key initiative to achieve this goal, featuring three key instruments that provide a platform for innovators to test and validate their ideas, assess risk, and measure outcomes before deployment.
The framework aims to promote inclusive innovation, expand access, close connectivity gaps, and empower underserved communities. By adopting this approach, the NCC provides a platform for innovators of all sizes, allowing them to demonstrate feasibility, assess risk, and measure outcomes prior to deployment, thereby encouraging experimentation and responsible innovation while safeguarding consumer rights and public interest.
Maida expressed optimism that the stakeholder engagement would spark curiosity, refine the collective vision, and accelerate the journey toward a more connected and prosperous Nigeria. He called for collaboration and partnership to refine the approach, ensuring it works for Nigeria amidst the rapidly unfolding future of Nigeria’s digital economy, with the communications sector at its heart.
Earlier, NCC’s Director, Licensing and Authorisation Department, Mr. Usman Mamman, stated that GAF was the outcome of extensive research, cross-departmental collaboration, and evaluation of global best practices and local industry dynamics. Mamman described it as a flexible and forward-looking approach to licensing that promotes innovation while ensuring regulatory oversight, consumer protection, and market integrity.
Mamman revealed that the NCC conducted an internal review of recent service applications and pilot proposals, highlighting a growing need for a flexible pathway to test new and emerging ideas. A benchmark study was also conducted to learn from other countries, including the UK’s Ofcom Sandbox model and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (MDA) testbeds, demonstrating the need for a flexible and well-structured pathway to test new and emerging ideas.
He called on stakeholders to ensure that the framework becomes a solid bridge between innovation and regulation, start-up visionaries and established players, and present limitations and future possibilities.