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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to your onestop shop for major updates in Nigeria's information technology (IT), broader technology and telecommunications sectors. This digest summarises the most consequential regulatory actions, market developments and infrastructure initiatives from January to September 2025, drawing solely on events within the Nigerian ecosystem. Each entry is brief and includes a link to the primary news source labelled "here" for readers who want to explore further.
REGULATORY UPDATES
TECHNOLOGY NITDA'S
Compliance Report on Social Media Platforms
In August 2025, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) released its Compliance Report on the Code of Practice for Social Media Platforms Operating in Nigeria. The report recorded more than 13.5 million offensive accounts removed and 58.9 million posts deleted, with 754,000 complaints received and over 420,000 appeals resolved. NITDA noted that it worked with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to ensure that platforms remove hatespeech, childendangerment and other harmful content. Read more here.
NAICOM Issues Operational Guidelines for Insurtechs
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) issued the Guidelines for Insurtech Operations in Nigeria, effective from 1st August, 2025. The guidelines aim to foster innovation and consumer protection by classifying insurtechs into "partnering" and "standalone" categories. While partnering insurtechs must team up with licensed insurers, standalone operators cannot underwrite highrisk products like oil & gas, marine or aviation. NAICOM's rules set licensing procedures, require proper risk management and call for arbitration of disputes. Read more here.
AI Scaling Hub Launches with Gates Foundation Support
In June 2025, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, launched the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scaling Hub with a commitment of US$7.5 million over three years. The hub will bring together government, academia, privatesector and development partners to scale mature artificialintelligence solutions in health, agriculture and education. It will provide resources, mentorship and capacitybuilding to innovators while promoting safe and equitable AI deployment. Read more here.
Ride Hailing and Smart Mobility Bill Moves Forward
Nigeria's proposed RideHailing and Smart Mobility Bill seeks to regulate ridehailing platforms for the first time. The draft law would give the Federal Ministry of Transport authority to license service providers and drivers, mandate passenger insurance, impose safety and vehicleinspection standards, require localcontent procurement and limit surge pricing. It also includes dataprotection obligations and establishes offences and penalties for noncompliance. Read more here
FCCPC Releases Digital Lending Regulations
In July 2025 the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) introduced the Digital, Electronic, Online or Nontraditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON Regulations). Digital lenders must register within 90 days, conduct data‑protection impact assessments and clearly disclose interest rates and fees. The rules prohibit lenders from accessing borrowers' phone contacts or socialmedia accounts without consent and impose fines for abusive collection practices. Read more here.
CBN Directs Payment Providers to Adopt ISO 20022 Standard and Geo-Tagging
In August 2025 the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ordered banks, fintechs and merchants to migrate to the ISO 20022 messaging standard and geotag all payment terminals by 31 October 2025. The directive requires payment processors to capture payer and payee identifiers, merchant details and geolocation data, with existing devices geotagged within 60 days and new terminals geotagged before activation. Read more here.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telecoms Tariff Hike
In January 2025 the NCC approved the first tariff adjustment in over a decade, allowing operators to raise voice and data prices by up to 50 percent to cope with inflation. Consumer groups say the hike forced many subscribers to reduce internet usage. Read more here.
Court Clarifies FCCPC's Shared Regulatory Role in Telecom Competition
In February, a Federal High Court affirmed that the FCCPC has authority to investigate telecom operators for anticompetitive practices, ruling that the 2018 Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act supersedes the older Communications Act. Read more here.
Government Plans 7,000 Towers and National Fibre Rollout
The Federal Government unveiled plans to coinvest with the private sector to deploy 7,000 telecom towers, holding a 49 percent stake while operators hold 51 percent. The towers will close coverage gaps for 25–30 million Nigerians and complement Project BRIDGE, a 90,000 km openaccess fibre network that will expand Nigeria's fibre footprint from 35,000 km to 125,000 km. Read more here.
USSD Charges to be Deducted from Airtime
To resolve an ongoing USSD debt dispute between telcos and banks, stakeholders agreed that customers will pay the ₦6.98 per 120second service charge directly from their airtime (EndUser Billing). Banks will no longer collect USSD fees and must settle outstanding debts to telcos. Read more here.
Vitel Wireless Completes Integration With MTN
Vitel Wireless, one of Nigeria's first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), completed integration with MTN to launch nationwide roaming. The partnership allows Vitel subscribers to make highquality voice and data calls on MTN's network and represents another step toward multinetwork interconnectivity. Read more here.
NCC Strengthens Corporate Governance
In August 2025, the NCC published stricter corporate governance guidelines for licensed telecom operators.
The new corporate governance guidelines prohibit former executive commissioners and chairpersons from joining telecom operators for five years, while directors face a threeyear coolingoff period. The rules aim to prevent conflicts of interest and promote transparency in the sector. Read more here.
9Mobile Rebrands to T2
In August 2025 9mobile announced a rebrand to T2, unveiling a new orange identity and a fourphase turnaround strategy. Chief Executive Obafemi Banigbe said the change signals renewed ambition and is supported by a national roaming agreement with MTN to enhance coverage. Read more here.
Telecom Tax Scrapped
As part of the 2025 Finance Act, President Bola Tinubu abolished the 5 percent excise duty on voice and data services introduced by the previous administration. The NCC says scrapping the tax will reduce costs for subscribers and support the government's digitalinclusion goals. Read more here.
Biodegradable Sim Cards Launched
MTN Nigeria and CardCentre introduced Nigeria's first biodegradable SIM cards made from Forest Stewardship Councilcertified materials and manufactured locally. The ecofriendly SIMs reduce plastic waste and demonstrate growing emphasis on sustainability within the telecoms sector. Read more here.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
GITEX Nigeria 2025 Showcases African Innovation
The first GITEX Nigeria technology and startup exhibition (1–4 September 2025) attracted more than 650 startups from 27 countries to Abuja and Lagos. It featured investment pitches and competitions across categories like AI, agritech, fintech and smart cities. Nigerian startup Curacel won the overall Supernova Challenge prize, with several other African innovators recognised. Read more here.
ICT Sector Boosts GDP
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that Nigeria's information and communications sector contributed 10.29 percent to nominal GDP in Q1 2025, up from 9.25 percent in Q1 2024, with a real growth rate of 7.40 percent. The sector posted nominal growth of 31.63 percent year on year, underlining its importance to the economy. Read more here.
Nigeria Sues Binance for Taxes and Economic Losses
In February 2025 Nigeria's Federal Inland Revenue Service filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Binance, seeking US$79.5 billion in alleged economic losses and US$2 billion in unpaid taxes. Regulators argue that Binance has a significant economic presence in Nigeria and must comply with local tax laws. Read more here.
Nigeria Cracks Down on Cybercrime
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) deported 50 Chinese nationals and a Tunisian convicted of cyberterrorism and internet fraud as part of Operation Eagle Flush. Authorities say the crackdown is aimed at dismantling foreign‑led cybercrime networks. Read more here.
Nigeria Leads Crypto Adoption
Nigeria has cemented its position as the undisputed leader of Sub-Saharan Africa's cryptocurrency economy, recording $92.1 billion in transaction volume between July 2024 and June 2025. During the same period, the SubSaharan Africa region received over $205 billion in on-chain value, reflecting a 52% year-on-year increase Read more here.
Digital Innovation Park Commissioned
In June 2025 the government opened a Digital Innovation Park in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The facility offers highspeed internet, coworking spaces and training programmes for startups and is part of Nigeria's ambition to build a $1 trillion digital economy. Read more here.
Badbox 2.0 Malware Warning
The Nigeria's ngCERT has issued an alert regarding BadBox 2.0 malware preinstalled on inexpensive Android devices sold online. The malware turns devices into a proxy network for cybercriminals and cannot be removed; affected users are advised to replace their devices. Read more here.
NDPC Issues General Application & Implementation Directive (GAID)
On 20 March 2025 the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) issued the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), replacing the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and its implementation Framework (NDPRIF) and providing a six-month transition period ending 19 September 2025. The directive requires Data Controllers and Processors of Major Importance to register, conduct compliance audits and file audit returns; clarifies roles for data protection officers; introduces filing fees; and details cross-border transfer rules and data subject rights. Read more here.
Investment & Securities Act 2025 Recognises Digital Assets
Nigeria's new Investment & Securities Act classifies digital assets – including stablecoins – as securities, bringing them under the supervision of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Act grants the SEC power to license exchanges, impose penalties and oversee token issuers. Read more here.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
