The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a draft General Authorisation Framework (GAF) to accommodate emerging technologies and maintain growth in the telecom sector, which currently records 79.65 per cent tele-density and 48.81 per cent broadband penetration as of May 2025.
The draft framework was presented at a stakeholders’ forum held Thursday in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Aminu Maida, said the telecom sector has experienced tremendous transformation over the past 24 years since liberalisation.
Maida added that the new licensing model is needed to keep pace with rapid innovation in the sector.
Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, the EVC said: “We are at a turning point where the nature of innovation demands a regulatory paradigm that is not only responsive but enabling.”
According to him, the General Authorisation Framework introduces three key instruments to support new and emerging services.
These are the Proof-of-Concept (PoC) pilot for testing innovative ideas in real environments, a Regulatory Sandbox for trial services under controlled conditions, and an Interim Service Authorisation (ISA) for services that do not yet fit into the existing licensing structure.
