Nigeria orders pause on new digital rules pending unified policy framework
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani
Abdullateef Fowewe
The federal government has ordered regulators to postpone the roll-out and enforcement of recently issued rules for internet platforms, online intermediaries and other cross-cutting digital-economy matters while a harmonised national policy is developed.
The directive, issued by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, follows a strategic meeting with leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
In a statement on Tuesday, Tijani said the affected agencies must “defer the implementation or enforcement of any recently issued regulation, code, guideline, framework, directive or administrative requirement relating to Internet platforms, online intermediaries or other cross-cutting digital economy matters” where those measures overlap with areas under inter‑agency policy harmonisation 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 added.
Tijani told the agencies the pause is intended to reduce duplication and legal uncertainty as the government develops a single national position.
He said 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.”
While ordering the moratorium, the minister was careful to preserve statutory mandates.
“The above direction is without prejudice to the statutory responsibilities of the respective institutions,” the statement said, noting that “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.”
As part of the harmonisation process, Tijani said the ministry will set up a joint technical coordination committee made up of representatives from the NCC, NITDA and NDPC to lead stakeholder consultations and prepare recommendations for a harmonised national policy and governance framework.
The proposed framework, he said, will “clarify the responsibilities of the three agencies, reduce regulatory overlap and compliance uncertainty, strengthen investor confidence and support Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading digital economy.”
The ministry stressed the exercise is not intended to weaken any agency’s statutory powers but to ensure that “government speaks with one coherent voice on cross-cutting digital economy issues through a coordinated, predictable and future-ready regulatory framework.”
The minister framed regulatory coordination as essential to business certainty and innovation: “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.”
The move comes less than 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate major technology companies and generative AI platforms over alleged anti-competitive practices and the exploitation of Nigerian media content, signalling a broader push by the federal government to tighten oversight of the digital sector.
