A recent report by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has placed Nigeria among the top seven countries in Africa, with a score of 71 per cent in its readiness for digital transformation. The report, titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation”, evaluated the country’s legal, policy, and governance frameworks towards achieving an advanced state of digital transformation, also known as G5.
The report, which was unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, in Abuja, assesses the country’s readiness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks. Nigeria’s ranking puts it alongside Germany, Finland, and Singapore, which lead the global chart.
Nigeria’s scores at different levels
According to the report, Nigeria’s readiness is based on four critical levels of accomplishments, including national collaborative governance, policy design principles, the digital development toolbox, and the digital economic policy agenda. The country scored impressively across these benchmarks, with notable highlights including 91 per cent in Regulatory Capacity, 82 per cent in Market Rules, 81 per cent in collaborative governance, 76 per cent in Legal Instruments for ICT/telecom markets, and 69 per cent in National Digital Agenda Policy.
The report also commended Nigeria’s efforts towards promoting effective regulation, attracting greater investment, and developing innovative models for broader digital inclusion. The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, welcomed the indicators and emphasized that collaborative regulation would support Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the nation’s digital economy.
The report was presented to a cross-section of key industry stakeholders, including service providers, government agencies, representatives of multilateral institutions, and regulatory bodies. The NCC has committed to utilizing the report as a navigational aid towards achieving its regulatory objectives and policies outlines towards achieving a robust digital economy.
In his remarks at the event, Tijani commended the ITU and partner agencies and consultants that actualised the report. He expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging the report as a guide towards achieving a robust digital economy. The Minister emphasized that the NCC has adapted over the years to respond to changes in its role and mandate.
Join our Channel...