ICT Sector Braces for Tightened Penalties Due to Regulatory Clampdown by NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a series of proposed changes aimed at strengthening enforcement and addressing non-compliance by telecom tower companies and ICT service providers. These changes, collectively known as the 2025 Guidelines on Corporate Governance and a review of the Enforcement Processes Regulations, are designed to improve oversight, transparency, accountability, and regulatory discipline in the telecom sector.
The new enforcement regime, which is currently in the formal adoption and consultation phase, will become effective shortly after the consultation period ends. The consultation papers were released in late July 2025, with the new governance framework launched in early August 2025.
The proposals target a range of infractions, including failure to comply with corporate governance requirements, persistent breaches of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and subsidiary regulations, operational non-compliance, delay or failure in filling critical managerial roles, and breaches related to rollout processes, infrastructure protection, and right-of-way policies.
Sanctions under the new enforcement regime will range from fines and administrative penalties for specific regulatory breaches to more severe measures such as suspension or revocation of operating licenses. The Commission also reserves the right to mandate changes in a licensee’s management and board composition, especially for persistent or serious infractions. For example, failure to fill key executive positions like CEO within a stipulated timeframe could trigger sanctions.
To address the issue of some ICT operators treating financial penalties as routine business expenses, the NCC is reviewing its 2019 Enforcement Processes Regulations (EPR), proposing a shift from cash penalties to direct regulatory consequences. The Commission is preparing tougher, non-monetary sanctions to address service quality failures, infrastructure neglect, and disregard for regulatory obligations.
The NCC is also considering non-monetary administrative penalties, such as limiting licensing rights and access to regulatory benefits for violators. The proposals target rising infractions like call masking, call refiling, and SIM boxing, extending both administrative and criminal liability to service providers and non-licensees alike.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, announced a new enforcement era prioritizing accountability over fines. The Commission has called on stakeholders to submit their input before the reform process begins in earnest. The ultimate goal is to support long-term business sustainability, investor confidence, enhanced service quality, and overall resilience of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure against global shocks and security threats.
[1] NCC Announces New Enforcement Changes: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/news/ncc-announces-new-enforcement-changes [2] NCC Consultation Paper on Enforcement Review: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/sites/default/files/2021-07/Consultation%20Paper%20on%20the%20Review%20of%20the%20Enforcement%20Processes%20Regulations%20(EPR).pdf [3] NCC Proposes Asymmetric Sanctions: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/news/ncc-proposes-asymmetric-sanctions [4] NCC Emphasizes Preventive Enforcement: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/news/ncc-emphasizes-preventive-enforcement [5] NCC Governance Enhancements: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/news/ncc-governance-enhancements
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