FG directs telecom, IT, data agencies to halt new digital platform rules pending harmonisation
Minister Bosun Tijani has ordered the NCC, NITDA, and NDPC to defer implementation or enforcement of any regulations concerning internet platforms, online intermediaries, or cross-cutting digital economy matters, pending the Ministry's policy harmonisation exercise. The directive, issued Tuesday July 1, 2026, maintains the regulatory status quo for issues undergoing inter-agency review while preserving agencies' statutory mandates for clear-cut responsibilities.
This affects how digital platforms operate in Nigeria, creating regulatory certainty for businesses and users during harmonisation. The Minister stressed coordination is essential for legal certainty and promoting investment, innovation, consumer confidence, and Nigeria's competitiveness as Africa's leading digital economy. The move comes less than 24 hours after FCCPC announced a presidential directive to investigate major tech companies (Meta, Alphabet, X) and generative AI platforms over anti-competitive practices and exploitation of Nigerian news content.
A Joint Technical Coordination Committee comprising NCC, NITDA, and NDPC representatives under the Minister's Office will coordinate technical engagements, consult stakeholders, and develop recommendations for a harmonised national policy framework. Existing regulations falling squarely within agencies' express mandates remain fully operational if consistent with the Minister's direction. Will this pause create needed regulatory clarity or hinder innovation in Nigeria's rapidly evolving digital space?