NCC Survey Finds AI Adoption Outpacing Governance in Nigeria's Telecom Sector

Artificial intelligence adoption across Nigeria's communications sector is advancing faster than the governance arrangements needed to oversee it, according to a Nigerian Communications Commission survey that found 73% of surveyed licensees using or piloting AI in live operations.

The survey, presented at the commission's Internet Governance Symposium 2026 in Lagos, found that 27% of respondents had no governance arrangements for their AI systems.

Adoption is running ahead of the rulebook

The findings expose a gap between deployment and oversight. While nearly three-quarters of respondents were actively using the technology, only 39% had an approved AI policy and just 34% applied human oversight to AI systems. Automated tools are increasingly influencing how businesses deliver services, process information and interact with consumers, which makes the absence of governance structures significant for both accountability and consumer protection.

There was broad appetite for transparency. Ninety-four percent of respondents said consumers should be informed when they are interacting with artificial intelligence, and 40% preferred periodic reporting over pre-deployment notification. Public expectation of disclosure is clearly ahead of current practice.

The survey covered 47 organisations drawn from industry, academia, research institutions and civil society, including mobile network operators, internet service providers and representatives of the technical community. The commission cautioned that the results do not establish the extent of AI governance across the entire telecom industry.

The Internet Code readiness gap

The survey also examined readiness for the Internet Code of Practice 2026, and the results were sobering. Of 19 licensees, only two said they were fully ready for implementation, nine reported partial readiness and five said they were not ready. Cybersecurity obligations and AI provisions proved the hardest areas.

Licensees told the commission they wanted clearer regulatory expectations, practical implementation guidance, reporting templates and step-by-step instructions to support compliance. That feedback points to a familiar regulatory challenge: rules that are broad in principle but difficult to translate into operational compliance, particularly for smaller operators with limited technical resources.

What the NCC plans next

The commission said it will clarify the definition of AI systems and explain the applicable prior-notification requirements under the code. It plans to publish implementation guidelines, frequently asked questions and compliance templates, and to organise workshops to help licensees understand their obligations.

It also intends to use a newly launched Internet Governance Working Group to sustain stakeholder engagement and address gaps in participation. The survey found that three in five organisations had not participated in internet governance processes, while 40% had not attended any internet governance event, a participation deficit that weakens coordinated policy making.

What to watch

Watch the content and specificity of the NCC's forthcoming guidance and whether it is accompanied by a timetable and clear consequences for non-compliance. The test will be whether the guidelines move licensees from policy on paper to oversight in practice, and whether consumer disclosure about AI interactions becomes routine rather than aspirational.