Nigeria’s Top Judges, Communications Regulators Unite for Digital Transformation

The 2024 National Workshop for Judges on Legal and Regulatory Issues in the Communications Industry kicked off in Lagos, with Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), delivering keynote addresses.

Key Highlights

• Digital Transformation: The workshop focuses on the judiciary’s role in accelerating digital transformation in Nigeria.
• Cyber Security Concerns: Increased risk of consumer data misuse and banking sector deficiencies due to digital services.
• Judiciary’s Role: Equipping judicial officers with technical skills to adjudicate disputes arising from the telecommunications sector.
• Collaboration: NCC and National Judicial Institute (NJI) partnership to address legal issues in telecommunications.

Mr. Maida emphasized the NCC’s commitment to building enduring partnerships across government, especially with the judiciary, to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation. He highlighted the importance of protecting telecommunication infrastructure, citing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Order designating all telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure.

Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun stressed the need for improved strategies and innovation for consumer protection, citing challenges such as hacked online banking platforms and technological glitches. She expressed hope that the workshop will provide a platform for deliberating on current challenges and cross-fertilizing ideas on viable solutions.

Key Challenges and Responsibilities

• Protecting Fundamental Rights: Safeguarding individual rights in the digital sphere.
• Enforcing Digital Contracts: Resolving disputes arising from e-commerce and digital transactions.
• Developing Digital Jurisprudence: Interpreting existing laws in new digital contexts.
• Promoting Innovation: Fostering innovation through stable legal frameworks.

The workshop aims to enrich the development of communications law in Nigeria, producing outcomes beneficial to all stakeholders. With the judiciary playing a vital role in shaping the legal frameworks governing the digital era, this collaboration is poised to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation forward.