Nigeria Suspends Digital Regulations to Harmonize National Policy

The Nigerian government has suspended the implementation and enforcement of recently issued regulations, codes, and guidelines affecting internet platforms and online intermediaries. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, issued the directive on July 7, 2026, following a strategic meeting with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

The suspension aims to eliminate regulatory duplication and resolve overlapping responsibilities in areas such as artificial intelligence, data governance, and online safety. Specifically, the government seeks to resolve conflicts between the NCC's draft Internet Code of Practice and NITDA's 2022 Code of Practice. To facilitate this, the ministry established a Joint Technical Coordination Committee with representatives from the three agencies to develop a harmonized national governance framework.

Tijani stated that existing regulations falling strictly within agency mandates remain operational, but agencies must defer enforcement of new provisions currently undergoing harmonisation. This regulatory shift occurs alongside a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate major technology companies and generative AI platforms for alleged anti-competitive practices and the exploitation of Nigerian media content.