By Madeji James
At the helm of the NCC is renowned engineer and telecommunications expert, Dr. Aminu Maida. Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2023, Dr. Maida is leading a clear force for change in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. Within two years, industry records already tell the story of a regulator that has regained focus, delivers on its promises, and is reshaping telecoms for the better in Nigeria.
Last year, he led the telecommunications industry to take its boldest step in years: a return to truly market-driven pricing on tariffs. The results have been telling. The sector has attracted over N1 trillion in investments within a 10-month period. According to a report released by the Commission on January 1, operators deployed more than 2,800 new and upgraded sites in 2025 alone, leading to measurable improvements in network coverage and service quality nationwide.
Under his watch, the NCC has also emerged as a driver of transparency and stronger governance in the sector. The 2025 Corporate Governance Guidelines for the telecommunications industry now require operators to adhere to stricter governance rules and operational standards—measures designed to ensure that management decisions translate into better quality of service for Nigerian consumers.
These reforms have not gone unnoticed—by either critics or supporters. In December 2025, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) ranked the NCC among the top government agencies—out of over 500—on efficiency and transparency. The Commission received an award for this performance from the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima GCON. Around the same period, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) also recognised the NCC, naming it as having the third-best government website in the country in terms of compliance with federal standards.
Internally, the former British Telecom-trained engineer is driving reforms that are reshaping the Commission’s institutional culture. Staff training opportunities are no longer dispensed as favours but are now aligned with competencies and career development. All staff, I am reliably informed, are now equipped with the tools required to do their jobs—closing a deficit of about 350 devices inherited at the start of his tenure. Promotions, too, now strictly follow established rules and processes.
However, in recent months, Dr. Maida has come under calculated attacks and coordinated attempts by reform-resistant interests seeking to smear his image and undermine his achievements. These recent, largely specious media frenzies—driven by vested interests uncomfortable with the new reform trajectory at the NCC—have consistently failed to gain traction.
The detractors—comprising internally disgruntled staff whose incompetence can no longer be concealed, and external actors who can no longer derive corrupt benefits from the Commission—have resorted to filing frivolous petitions, replete with the most outlandish allegations against the institution.
None of these attempts has gained traction. At the NCC, I am reliably informed, crude and fraudulent dealings no longer thrive. All decisions now pass through defined and rigorous processes, and individuals are held to strict standards of accountability. There is no longer business as usual at the NCC.
Amidst the noise, Dr. Maida has remained focused, aligned squarely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
What these detractors fail to realize is that Dr. Maida’s record speaks for itself. His rising profile is not a product of propaganda but of integrity, competence, and results.
The NCC today is more responsive, accountable and efficient—thanks to his hands-on approach. Nigerians must be vigilant and see these orchestrated distractions for what they truly are: attacks on progress, transparency, and the Renewed Hope vision. Dr. Aminu Maida is not just doing his job, he is redefining leadership within the communications sector, and no amount of blackmail will derail that.
Madeji is a technology reporter, and writes from Abuja
