ITU ranks Nigeria high in digital transformation readiness

A recent report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has ranked Nigeria highly in digital transformation readiness, with a score of 71 per cent. The report, conducted in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, places Nigeria among the top African countries in the BEMECS 5G Readiness Index, which assesses readiness for mass-market 5G deployment and adoption.

Maida

The report, titled "Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation," was presented at the Digital Economy Complex in Abuja by ITU’s Kagwira Nkonge. It serves as a case study for collaborative regulation review, supporting Nigeria’s transition towards digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the digital economy.

The presentation included key industry stakeholders, such as service providers, government agencies, representatives of multilateral institutions, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), and the Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU). The report complements existing cross-country benchmarks by assessing the policy and regulatory environments of countries according to the Generations of Regulation frameworks, which track telecom regulatory maturity towards digital transformation readiness. Nigeria is currently designated at G4 but is progressing towards G5, the Advanced State of Readiness.

Nigeria's scores in critical areas include:

• Regulatory Capacity: 91per cent
• Market Rules: 82per cent
• Collaborative Governance: 81per cent
• Legal Instruments for ICT/Telecom Markets: 76per cent
• National Digital Agenda Policy: 69per cent

Tijani praised the ITU and partner agencies for the report and affirmed the federal government's commitment to using it as a guide for achieving regulatory objectives and policies aimed at fostering a robust digital economy. He emphasized the importance of modern regulations and increasing local content in the sector.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, welcomed the indicators promoting effective regulation, investment attraction, and innovative models for broader digital inclusion. He stressed that collaborative regulation is essential for Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the digital economy.