The recently held Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), which took place in Ankara, Türkiye, was another opportunity for the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, to explain to the world how the Nigerian telecommunications ecosystem works, and how the regulatory body has been able to transform the industry into a profitable sector that is now driving the Nigerian economy.
The GSR-26 event was held in Ankara, Türkiye, at the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) Headquarters from 12-15 May 2026.
Dr Maida joined other heads of telecoms regulatory bodies across the world to participate in this year’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Since 2000, the GSR has been an annual meeting of regulators where they exchange ideas and best practices and discuss telecom policy issues affecting their different countries.
With the theme “2026 Best Practice Guidelines: Regulatory Governance Essentials”—an important digital regulation toolkit designed to support regulators as the world navigates increasingly complex digital markets and ecosystems, Independent News Express reports that Dr Maida, who took part in a panel session titled “Harnessing the Power of Transformative Tech: Regulatory Approaches”, alongside a distinguished panel of telecommunications regulators and industry experts from across the globe—including Carlos Manuel Baigorri, President of Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL), Brazil; Philip Marnick, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Kingdom of Bahrain; and Donna Bethea-Murphy of Viasat Inc, engaged in insightful discussions on the future of telecommunications regulation, particularly how regulatory frameworks can harness the potential of transformative technologies and redefine the meaning of regulatory excellence in an increasingly digital world.
Maida said: “We shared what we have been building at the NCC—a regulatory system that prioritises data and transparency; how we are moving from data collection to data intelligence, and from mere public transparency to transparency that empowers the consumer and holds the operator more accountable.
“We shared how our Public Maps, industry statistics, Quarterly Network Performance Reports, and simplified reporting frameworks are helping consumers better understand how their networks serve them, while also enabling the broader digital economy to thrive.
“During the Forum, at the Regulators’ Roundtable, we deliberated on the evolving role of regulators in fostering and enabling digital markets. I highlighted some of Nigeria’s regulatory priorities which stand out, including how we are strengthening transparency, responsible conduct, and accountability within the internet ecosystem through the Internet Code of Practice; enhancing the cyber resilience of the telecommunications sector through our Cyber Resilience Framework; deepening collaboration with other public authorities to promote a unified approach to digital market governance; and shaping an incentive-based telecommunications market, particularly through spectrum and infrastructure regulation.”
Since 2000, the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) has brought together heads of national telecom/ICT regulatory authorities from around the world and has earned a reputation as the global annual venue for regulators to share their views and experiences on the most pressing regulatory issues they have identified.
GSR also fosters a dynamic global industry regulators dialogue between regulators, policy makers, industry leaders and other key ICT stakeholders. GSR’s Global Dialogue provides a neutral platform for ITU-D Sector Members to share their views on major issues facing the ICT sector. GSR concludes with the adoption by regulators of a set of regulatory best practice guidelines.
GSR offers unique networking opportunities in the lead up to and during the event through the online interactive networking platform to set up appointments using a tablet or a smartphone.
