The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has ranked Nigeria highly, at 71 percent, for its legal, policy, and governance frameworks towards achieving an advanced state of readiness for digital transformation, known as G5. Germany, Finland, and Singapore lead the global chart.

The ITU, in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), released this report, which was unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, in Abuja. Nigeria was ranked among Africa’s top seven in the BEMECS 5G Readiness Index, reflecting the country’s preparedness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks.

The report, titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation,” was presented at the Digital Economy Complex in Abuja by ITU’s Kagwira Nkonge. It highlights a collaborative regulation review to support Nigeria’s transition towards digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation in the digital economy. The report was shared with key industry stakeholders, including service providers, government agencies, and representatives of multilateral institutions.

Nigeria is currently at G4 in the Generations of Regulation frameworks, which track telecom regulatory maturity towards digital transformation readiness. This readiness is measured against four critical levels: national collaborative governance, policy design principles, digital development toolbox, and digital economic policy agenda. Nigeria scored 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.

In his remarks, Minister Tijani commended the ITU and its partners for the report and reiterated the federal government’s commitment to using it as a guide to achieving regulatory objectives and policies for a robust digital economy. He stressed the importance of modern regulations to ensure proper business practices and increasing local content in the sector.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), hosted the presentation and welcomed indicators promoting effective regulation, attracting greater investment, and developing innovative models for broader digital inclusion. He emphasized that collaborative regulation would support Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance and agile regulation in the digital economy.