Nigeria Ranks High in ITU Digital Transformation Readiness Report
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked Nigeria highly in its latest report, showcasing the country’s advanced state of readiness for digital transformation. According to the report, Nigeria scored 71 percent in comparative legal, policy, and governance frameworks towards G5 – an advanced state of digital transformation readiness – placing it among Africa’s top seven countries in the BEMECS 5G Readiness Index.
The report, titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation,” was unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, in Abuja. The study was conducted in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Presented at the Digital Economy Complex in Mbora, Abuja, by ITU’s Kagwira Nkonge, the report emphasizes Nigeria’s readiness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks. It assesses Nigeria’s transition towards collaborative digital governance, evidence-based policy making, and agile regulation in the digital economy. The report’s findings were shared with key industry stakeholders, including service providers, government agencies, representatives of multilateral institutions, and regional telecommunications regulators.
Nigeria’s ranking in the report is benchmarked against the Generations of Regulation frameworks, which track telecom regulatory maturity towards digital transformation readiness. Nigeria achieved a G4 status, with significant accomplishments in several critical areas: 91 percent in regulatory capacity, 82 percent in market rules, 81 percent in collaborative governance, 76 percent in legal instruments for ICT/telecom markets, and 69 percent in national digital agenda policy.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, highlighted the importance of the report’s indicators in promoting effective regulation, attracting investment, and developing innovative models for broader digital inclusion. He emphasized that collaborative regulation is essential for Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance and agile regulation in the nation’s digital economy.
