ABUJA, Nigeria — The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has called on African countries to move beyond merely adopting global technology policies and instead take a leading role in shaping the rules governing artificial intelligence, spectrum management, cybersecurity, and digital governance.
Maida made the call on Monday at the opening of the 7th Ordinary Session of the Conference Preparatory Committee (CPC) of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) in Abuja, where policymakers, regulators, and telecommunications experts gathered to coordinate Africa’s digital policy agenda ahead of major international meetings.
The NCC chief emphasised that the continent’s influence in international digital policy discussions would not be determined by the size of its delegations but by the quality of its preparations, the strength of its technical contributions, and the ability of member states to present unified positions.
“Preparation is not merely a procedural step, but the foundation upon which influence is established,” Maida stated.
He stressed that Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy, youthful population, and growing mobile connectivity make it imperative for the continent to influence global technology governance. “Africa is one of the world’s most dynamically digital regions. The scale of mobile adoption, the innovation we have seen in digital financial services, and the number of young people coming online mean that decisions on spectrum, digital identity, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and digital trust will have profound consequences across our continent,” he said.
Maida argued that African perspectives should be integrated into global policy discussions from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought. “Our objective as Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities,” he noted.
The NCC boss identified spectrum harmonisation, governance of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data protection, universal access, and digital identity as critical policy issues requiring stronger regulatory cooperation among African countries. He warned that the cross-border nature of these challenges makes it impossible for individual countries to address them effectively in isolation.
He called for sustained collaboration among member states through designated national focal points, regular technical coordination meetings, and shared access to research and evidence to support common positions at international negotiations. “Coordination should not commence solely when a conference agenda is distributed, nor should it conclude when delegates exit the venue,” Maida stated.
Maida also encouraged African nations to enhance their participation in ITU study groups, technical committees, and regional preparatory meetings, noting that global standards are often developed long before final conferences.
The committee is expected to review the ATU’s activities between 2023 and 2026, formulate recommendations for the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26), and finalise Africa’s preparations for the International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26) scheduled for Doha, Qatar, later this year.
