NCC: Telecoms Revolution Has Enabled Connectivity as Way of Life
Emma Okonji The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has said the 25 years of telecoms revolution in Nigeria has enabled connectivity as a
Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has highlighted the 25-year telecommunications revolution in Nigeria as having transformed connectivity into a fundamental aspect of daily life. Speaking at the 2026 eWorld Forum in Lagos, the theme of which was 'The GSM Digital Milestones: 25 Years On', Maida emphasized that the liberalization of the communications sector began with the National Telecommunications Policy of 2000.
This policy paved the way for the introduction of Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) services in 2001, at a time when the nation had fewer than 400,000 connected telephone lines and a teledensity of just 0.4%. Maida, speaking through a senior NCC manager, Ololade Saraki, said that today, the teledensity stands at an impressive 90%, with over 195 million active subscribers nationwide.
He underscored that this significant milestone represents the telecommunications sector's success in transforming Nigeria from a nation where phone lines were a luxury to one where connectivity is now considered a basic necessity. Mr. Chris Uwaje, a former president of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) and a board member of the Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group, discussed the telecoms revolution before the introduction of GSM in 2001, stressing that the revolution has profoundly impacted both individuals and businesses across Nigeria.
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