Nigeria: Communications Commission adopted Internet Code of Practice, including non-discrimination requirements

On 13 February 2026, the Communications Commission adopted the Internet Code of Practice, including non-discrimination requirements. The Code requires internet access service providers to treat all lawful traffic within the same service category equally and must not discriminate based on content, sender, receiver, application, or device. Preferential data prioritisation is prohibited without prior written approval from the Commission and, where exceptionally permitted, must be objectively justified, narrowly defined, transparent, and limited to clearly identified services such as emergency or public interest categories. Zero-rating may be allowed with Commission approval where it advances universal access and public interest objectives, but must avoid distorting competition, with limited exceptions for capped access to public service platforms. It also provides that reasonable network management is permitted only for legitimate technical needs, including security, congestion management, or legal compliance, and must be proportionate, transparent, based on global standards, and applied equally to equivalent traffic categories.