The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to suspend the implementation and enforcement of regulations affecting internet platforms and other cross-cutting digital economy issues pending the completion of a government policy harmonisation exercise.
The directive was announced in a statement issued by the Minister following a strategic meeting with the leadership of the three agencies.
According to Tijani, the rapid evolution of Nigeria’s digital economy has resulted in areas where the mandates of sector regulators increasingly overlap, making coordinated policymaking necessary.
He said greater regulatory alignment is required to promote legal certainty, encourage investment, strengthen consumer confidence and support Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading digital economy.
Under the directive, existing regulatory arrangements relating to internet platforms and online intermediaries will remain in place while the harmonisation process continues.
The Minister also instructed the agencies to defer the implementation or enforcement of recently introduced regulations, guidelines, frameworks and administrative requirements relating to internet platforms and other cross-cutting digital economy matters currently under review.
He clarified that the directive does not affect responsibilities that fall squarely within each agency’s statutory mandate under existing laws.
As part of the process, the Ministry will establish a Joint Technical Coordination Committee comprising representatives of the NCC, NITDA and NDPC under the supervision of the Minister’s office.
