Nigeria scores 71% in ITU's G5 Readiness Index

Ranks among top African nations for digital transformation

A recent report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has ranked Nigeria at 71% in the G5 Readiness Index, highlighting the country’s strong comparative legal, policy, and governance frameworks for digital transformation.

Nigeria’s ranking places it among the top seven African countries in readiness for deploying and adopting mass-market 5G networks, with leading global examples being Germany, Finland, and Singapore.

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The report, titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation,” was a joint effort by the ITU, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The report was unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at an event in Abuja. The report assesses Nigeria’s transition towards collaborative digital governance, evidence-based policymaking, and agile regulation, and serves as a case study for collaborative regulation review.

Key findings of the report

Key findings of the report showed Nigeria scoring highly in several areas critical to digital transformation readiness. These include regulatory capacity (91%), market rules (82%), collaborative governance (81%), legal instruments for ICT/telecom markets (76%), and national digital agenda policy (69%).

The assessment aligns with the Generations of Regulation frameworks, where Nigeria is currently designated at G4, indicating a mature regulatory environment poised for further advancement.

Dr. Tijani commended the ITU and its partners for their efforts in producing the report and emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to using the findings as a guide to enhance regulatory objectives and policies towards a robust digital economy. He highlighted the importance of modern regulations to ensure proper business conduct and to increase local content within the sector.

NCC’s evolving role

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of collaborative regulation in supporting Nigeria’s digital governance and economy.

He noted the NCC’s evolving role from traditional telecommunications regulation to overseeing the broader digital economy, which is foundational to national prosperity.