Lawmakers praise telecom sector’s progress as NCC defends ₦472 billion budget proposal for 2026

Lawmakers praise telecom sector’s progress as NCC defends ₦472 billion budget proposal for 2026

The National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Communications has commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the growth of the telecommunications sector as lawmakers approve the 2025 budget performance. Meanwhile, NCC has proposed a ₦472 billion budget for 2026.

During a joint budget defense session of the Senate and House Communications Committees, chaired by Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis and Hon. Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, the lawmakers praised the sector’s growth of 5.17% in 2025, but called for greater regulatory oversight to address persistent connectivity challenges.

Presenting the proposal, NCC Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, said the Commission is seeking to achieve ₦472 billion in total expenditure for 2026, in line with the medium-term expenditure framework 2026-2028.

From the Commission’s perspective, the telecommunications sector has remained one of the most resilient contributors to Nigeria’s gross domestic product, driven by infrastructure expansion and growing digital demand. Regulatory actions and industry investments have led to the deployment and upgrades of 2,800 telecom sites in 2025, increasing network capacity and expanding broadband penetration from 6% to approximately 50% nationwide.

Average internet speeds also improved by 24%, from about 16 Mbps to 20 Mbps, although lawmakers noted that the quality of service continues to decline in several areas, including major urban centers such as Abuja.

While acknowledging the NCC’s financial performance – including ₦102 billion remitted to the federal government in 2025, far above its initial projection of ₦30 billion – lawmakers raised concerns over the underspending of approved funds. They noted that ₦95 billion approved for recurrent expenditure saw around ₦73 billion used, while only ₦7 billion of the ₦10 billion approved for capital projects was spent.

For 2026, the Commission has proposed ₦424 billion for recurrent expenditure and ₦15 billion for capital and special projects. It also provided ₦207 billion in remittances to the federal government and ₦20 billion to the Universal Service Delivery Fund to accelerate rural connectivity.

Beyond financial oversight, lawmakers have lobbied the Commission on its 2036 digital roadmap, spectrum management plans, right-of-way framework and data retention policies, underscoring the need for better oversight to ensure Nigerians receive reliable and affordable communications services.

In response, the NCC reiterated its commitment to strengthening regulatory compliance, improving consumer protection and expanding telecommunications infrastructure as part of Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.