The Federal Government has directed that new rules affecting internet platforms, online intermediaries, and other cross-cutting digital economy issues be suspended until a harmonised national policy framework is developed.
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, gave the directive after a strategic discussion with the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, and Nigeria Data Protection Commission.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Tijani stated that the agencies will postpone the implementation or enforcement of recently issued regulations, guidelines, codes, and directives pertaining to internet platforms and other matters now undergoing inter-agency policy harmonisation.
“The existing regulatory status quo shall be maintained with respect to matters relating to internet platforms, online intermediaries and other cross-cutting digital economy issues currently undergoing inter-agency policy harmonisation under the Ministry’s coordination,” the statement read.
It also stated that the agencies should postpone the implementation of any recently issued regulation, code, guideline, framework, directive, or administrative requirement pertaining to internet platforms, online intermediaries, or other cross-cutting digital economy issues if such provisions are part of the ongoing harmonisation process.
However, the minister underlined that the instruction has no bearing on the respective agencies’ statutory tasks.
“All other provisions of existing regulations, guidelines, codes and directives that fall squarely within the express mandates of the relevant agencies under extant laws shall remain fully operational and enforceable, provided they are consistent with the policy direction issued by the Honourable Minister,” the statement added.
Tijani stated that the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s digital economy has resulted in places where sector regulators’ responsibilities are increasingly overlapping.
“The convergence of telecommunications, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, online safety and data governance requires a coordinated whole-of-government approach to policy development and implementation,” he said.
According to the minister, better regulatory cooperation is required to provide stability to investors and operators while also encouraging innovation and customer confidence.
“Regulatory coordination is not only essential to preserving legal certainty but is also fundamental to promoting investment, innovation, consumer confidence and Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness as Africa’s leading digital economy,” he added.
As part of the directive, Tijani declared the formation of a collaborative technical coordination committee made up of representatives from the NCC, NITDA, and NDPC to oversee stakeholder consultations and create recommendations for a unified national policy and governance framework.
He stated that the framework would outline the duties of the three agencies, minimize regulatory duplication and compliance ambiguity, enhance investor trust, and aid Nigeria’s goal of emerging as Africa’s top digital economy.
The ministry stated that the harmonisation effort aims to improve coordination among regulators without reducing the statutory responsibilities of any agency.
The order was issued within 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu instructed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to examine large tech firms and generative artificial intelligence platforms concerning claims of anti-competitive behaviors and the misuse of Nigerian media content.
