The Federal Government has ordered a temporary halt to the implementation and enforcement of newly introduced regulations affecting internet platforms, online intermediaries and other key areas of the digital economy, pending the completion of a coordinated national policy framework.
The decision was announced by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, after a high-level meeting involving the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
In a statement released on Tuesday, the minister directed the agencies to suspend the enforcement of recently introduced regulatory instruments that fall within an ongoing inter-agency harmonisation process being coordinated by the ministry.
“The existing regulatory status quo shall be maintained with respect to matters relating to internet platforms, online intermediaries and other cross-cutting digital economy issues currently undergoing inter-agency policy harmonisation under the Ministry’s coordination,” the statement read.
The directive also instructed the agencies to refrain from implementing any recently issued rules, frameworks, codes, guidelines or administrative requirements connected to internet platforms and related digital economy matters that are currently under review.
Despite the suspension, Tijani stressed that the move does not override or weaken the legal mandates of the regulatory bodies involved.
“All other provisions of existing regulations, guidelines, codes and directives that fall squarely within the express mandates of the relevant agencies under extant laws shall remain fully operational and enforceable, provided they are consistent with the policy direction issued by the Honourable Minister,” the statement added.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the minister noted that the rapid transformation of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem has increasingly blurred the boundaries between the responsibilities of different regulators.
“The convergence of telecommunications, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, online safety and data governance requires a coordinated whole-of-government approach to policy development and implementation,” he said.
According to Tijani, aligning the activities of sector regulators has become necessary to eliminate uncertainty, encourage investment and create a more predictable environment for businesses operating in the digital space.
“Regulatory coordination is not only essential to preserving legal certainty but is also fundamental to promoting investment, innovation, consumer confidence and Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness as Africa’s leading digital economy,” he added.
As part of efforts to achieve that objective, the minister announced the creation of a joint technical coordination committee comprising representatives of the NCC, NITDA and NDPC. The committee will oversee stakeholder engagements and develop recommendations for a unified national governance and policy framework for the digital sector.
The proposed framework is expected to provide clearer definitions of the responsibilities of the three agencies, minimise overlapping regulations, reduce compliance burdens on businesses and strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The ministry emphasised that the harmonisation initiative is aimed at improving cooperation among regulators and creating a more coherent policy environment, rather than diminishing the statutory authority of any of the agencies involved.
The latest directive comes less than a day after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu instructed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms over allegations of anti-competitive conduct and the exploitation of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.
(Ripples)
