Nigeria: Nigerian Communications Commission opened consultation on review of Internet Code of Practice 2019

On 25 July 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), acting under Section 71 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, opened a public consultation on the review of the Internet Code of Practice 2019 until 29 August 2025. The review sets out seven areas for reform. These include the governance of offensive and misleading content such as deep fakes, misinformation and incitement, with stronger safeguards for child online protection. They also cover governance principles for online platforms and parameters for international cooperation, as well as measures to ensure the responsible use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in traffic management and content integration. Further proposals address enhanced data protection and privacy for transactional and behavioural data, clearer net neutrality rules with definitions of reasonable network management and zero-rating practices, and stronger cybersecurity standards aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001, including real-time intelligence sharing and rapid response. Finally, the NCC proposes regulatory clarity for essential internet resources through DNSSEC adoption, IPv6 deployment and electronic addressing in line with International Telecommunication Union Resolution 180. The consultation is intended to guide the Commission’s rule-making process scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.