Nigeria: Nigerian Communications Commission closes consultation on review of Licensing Regulations 2019

On 29 August 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) closes the public consultation on the Consultation Paper for the review of the Licensing Regulations 2019. The review paper lists several proposals. These include strengthening pre-licensing evaluation and background checks to ensure that only entities with adequate governance, technical capacity and financial stability are licensed, revising the categorisation of individual and class licences to reflect changes in service models and emerging technologies, and reviewing existing licensable undertakings while extending the framework to cover new communications services. The paper also proposes clearer procedures, obligations and milestones for frequency licences, including post-licensing regulatory actions, and differentiated obligations for privately owned and publicly listed licensees based on ownership structures. The consultation builds on a Regulatory Impact Assessment conducted since 2019, which identified barriers for start-ups caused by complex application processes, recommended an expanded framework for innovative services, and highlighted onerous payment terms for frequency licences. It marks the first stage of engagement ahead of the NCC’s rule-making process scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.