By The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is worried by the challenge of adapting existing legal principles to the complexities of emerging and evolving technologies.
According to the Commission, Nigerians are eager to see a new chapter of digital justice, where the roles played by the judiciary are effectively translated and adapted into online contexts.
Addressing judges at the 2024 edition of the Annual Workshop for Judges on Legal and Regulatory Issues in the Communications Industry, organized by the NCC in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said that the Presidential Order that designates all telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, has provided Nigeria with a comprehensive policy framework to protect vital telecommunication assets.
Maida at the workshop, which has as its theme: “The role of the judiciary in accelerating digital transformation in Nigeria”, lamented that over the years, telecommunication infrastructure has suffered from disruptions due extensive damage from vandalism and theft, and fiber cuts by construction companies.
According to him, the judiciary’s ability to adapt and evolve alongside technological advancements is paramount to ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are accessible to all, while mitigating potential risks.
The NCC boss highlighted a new chapter of digital justice, where the roles played by the judiciary are effectively translated and adapted into online contexts in the following areas:
- Protecting fundamental rights: The responsibility of the judiciary to act as a guardian of individual rights in the digital sphere, safeguarding privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information, while also ensuring a balance between these rights and the need for security and order.
- Enforcing digital contracts and resolving disputes: The responsibility of the judiciary to provide a mechanism for enforcing online agreements and resolving disputes arising from e-commerce, intellectual property, and other digital transactions, fostering trust and predictability in the digital economy.
- Developing digital jurisprudence: The responsibility of the judiciary to continually interpret and apply existing laws to new digital contexts, creating a body of digital jurisprudence that provides clarity and guidance for individuals, businesses, and governments operating in the digital space.
- Promoting innovation: the responsibility of the judiciary to foster innovation by providing a stable legal framework that encourages investment and development in emerging technologies.
In her opening remark, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Board of Governors of The National Judicial Institute, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, commended the Commission for its assiduous efforts at protecting consumers from unfair practices by service providers.
She assured the NCC that the Nigerian Judiciary is committed to the development of the Telecommunications Sector and as such, “we will continue to ensure coherence in the interpretation of the relevant laws as well as transparency and efficiency in the dispensation of justice.”
