Increased digitisation across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and trade could add about two percent points to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), creating nearly two million jobs, and generate an additional N1.6 trillion in tax revenue by 2028.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, who disclosed this at a workshop in Abuja, quoted the GSM Association (GSMA) for the data.

His words: “We must also approach this review as an economic development exercise, not simply a sectoral policy update. The GSMA has estimated that deeper digitalisation across agriculture, manufacturing, transport, trade, and government could add around two percentage points to GDP by 2028, create nearly two million jobs, and generate an additional N1.6 trillion in tax revenue.”

Maida said that telecommunications has become a productivity infrastructure for the country’s entire economy, hence the need for a review of the National Telecommunications Policy 2000.

“Telecommunications is no longer just one sector within the economy; it is a productivity infrastructure for the entire economy. It supports commerce, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, financial services, education, health, public administration, and the everyday productivity of millions of Nigerians,” he stated.

According to him, the workshop was convened to review the National Telecommunications Policy 2000.

“Our task is to preserve the enduring principles of competition, universal access, independent regulation, and consumer protection, while developing a modern policy framework that supports broadband expansion, innovation, investment, resilience, quality of experience, and Nigeria’s ambition to build a truly inclusive digital economy,” he stated.

He added that the policy choices made at the workshop would determine not only the future of the telecommunications industry, but also Nigeria’s ability to broaden its tax base, improve public service delivery, raise productivity, formalise more businesses, create jobs, and build a more inclusive and resilient economy.