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The Federal Government has called for stronger African coordination in shaping global telecommunications policies, saying the continent must deepen technical cooperation and present unified positions to strengthen its influence in international digital governance.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Monday at the opening of the 7th Ordinary Session of the Conference Preparatory Committee of the African Telecommunications Union in Abuja.

He said Africa’s influence in global telecommunications would depend on the quality of its preparation, technical expertise and coordinated engagement rather than the size of its delegations.

Speaking on behalf of the NCC, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Federal Government, Maida said Nigeria was proud to host the gathering, describing it as a demonstration of Africa’s resolve to prepare collectively for decisions that would shape the future of telecommunications and the digital economy.

He said, “Africa’s influence in international forums does not depend simply on the size of our delegations or the number of interventions we make. It depends on the quality of our preparation, the coherence of our positions and the consistency with which we advance them.”

According to him, African countries that engage early, build consensus and develop technically sound positions are better placed to shape international decisions.

“Where our administrations engage early, we consult different perspectives and build technically sound formal positions, Africa’s voice carries weight. Where that preparation is delayed, our influence is inevitably reduced. That is why the work in this room matters,” he added.

Maida explained that the committee would prepare resolutions, recommendations and common positions for both the forthcoming Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the African Telecommunications Union and the 2026 International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary Conference.

He noted that while the ATU conference would determine the strategic direction of the continental telecommunications body, the ITU conference would shape the future leadership and priorities of the global telecommunications sector.

“Our work here must serve both purposes clearly, strengthening the ATU as Africa’s coordinating institution while ensuring that Africa is well prepared to participate effectively at the ITU,” he said.

The NCC boss identified cross-border spectrum harmonisation, artificial intelligence governance, data protection frameworks, universal access and cybersecurity as key issues requiring closer regulatory cooperation across the continent.

He said no African country could effectively address such challenges independently.

“Our regulatory cooperation must therefore become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalised,” he said, adding that coordination should extend beyond conferences through regular engagement, shared technical resources and structured processes for developing common African positions.

Maida also urged member states to invest in sustained technical participation, saying Africa’s contribution to global standards should begin at the drafting stage rather than after decisions had already been taken.

“Our objective as Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities,” he said.

He added, “African perspectives should, therefore, not be treated as an afterthought. They should form part of the discussion from the outset. That influence will be built through consistent participation, credible evidence, technical expertise and positions that command respect for their merits.”

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the African Telecommunications Union, Maida said the country would continue to contribute technical expertise, share regulatory experience and support peer learning among African administrations.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, said Nigeria remained committed to working with member states of the African Telecommunications Union to advance regional digital integration, innovation and sustainable socio-economic development.

He said the committee’s recommendations would provide the basis for decisions at the forthcoming Conference of Plenipotentiaries.

“As we navigate an era of rapid technological advancement and digital innovation, the importance of collaboration among our member states has never been greater. Through constructive dialogue and consensus building, I am confident that this committee will produce recommendations that will further strengthen the African Telecommunications Union and enhance its capacity to support inclusive and sustainable digital development across the African continent,” Gagare said.

Earlier, the Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union, John Omo, described the preparatory committee as central to developing consensus on proposals before they are presented to the Conference of Plenipotentiaries.

He disclosed that the union’s membership had increased from 49 to 52 member states over the past four years, while associate membership rose from 50 to 56 organisations. He added that academia had also been introduced as a new membership category, with 18 institutions now participating in the union’s activities.

Omo said the ATU had expanded its work in broadband spectrum, satellite communications, internet governance, rural broadband, internet exchange points, standardisation and digital infrastructure resilience during the period.

He, however, urged member states to improve the predictability of their financial contributions to enable the secretariat to implement its programmes more effectively, noting that the forthcoming Conference of Plenipotentiaries would elect a new Secretary-General and members of the Administrative Council for the 2027-2031 term.

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The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, on Monday pushed back against widespread claims that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had borrowed about ₦80 trillion, telling senators that the sharp rise in Nigeria’s public debt was driven largely by exchange rate movements, inherited obligations and accounting adjustments rather than fresh loans.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on Finance during a high-level review of the nation’s fiscal performance, Oyedele said the country’s debt profile had been widely misrepresented, arguing that many Nigerians mistakenly equate the increase in the total debt stock with new borrowing.

His clarification came as lawmakers voiced concerns over sluggish budget implementation despite improved revenue generation and called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s budgeting framework.

Addressing the committee, Oyedele explained that although Nigeria’s public debt has risen to about ₦159 trillion, the increase cannot be interpreted as money borrowed by the Tinubu administration.

“When this administration came into office, public debt stood at about ₦75 trillion. People simply compare that figure with where we are today and conclude that this government borrowed the difference. That is not the case,” he said.

According to him, more than ₦40 trillion of the increase resulted from the depreciation of the naira, which significantly raised the local currency value of Nigeria’s existing external debt.

“Nothing changed about those loans in dollar terms. What changed was the exchange rate. Once the naira weakened, the naira value of those same obligations increased substantially,” he explained.

Oyedele said another major contributor was the formal recognition of the ₦33 trillion Ways and Means advances accumulated by the previous administration and later securitised with the approval of the National Assembly.

“That was not fresh borrowing. It was the conversion of existing obligations into recognised public debt for transparency and proper fiscal reporting,” he stated.

He also cautioned against interpreting every borrowing approval granted by the National Assembly as funds already accessed.

“Approval to borrow is different from actual borrowing. There are negotiations, disbursement processes and project implementation stages. We have not even accessed half of what has been approved,” he said.

To improve public understanding, Oyedele disclosed that the Ministry of Finance was preparing a comprehensive report detailing borrowing approvals, actual loan drawdowns and the projects financed with the funds.

On concerns over continued borrowing despite higher government revenues, the tax reform chairman explained that increased revenue does not automatically eliminate fiscal deficits.

“If government requires ₦10 to implement its budget but generates ₦7, there is still a financing gap of ₦3. Borrowing remains necessary until revenue catches up with expenditure,” he said.

He attributed the continued financing gap to rising debt servicing obligations, implementation of the new national minimum wage, salary adjustments and expanded social investment programmes, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Senators question budget performance
Earlier, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, expressed concern that despite improved revenue performance by agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service, capital budget implementation remained poor.

He noted that a significant portion of the 2025 budget had been rolled over into 2026, while implementation of the current year’s budget was progressing slowly.

“The dividends of democracy are delivered through budget implementation, especially capital projects. If the budget is not being implemented, then government is failing in one of its primary responsibilities,” Monguno said.

He also disclosed that security agencies informed lawmakers they had received no capital releases despite the country’s worsening security situation.

Describing implementation of the Appropriation Act as a constitutional obligation, the senator warned that failure to execute the budget amounted to a breach of the law.

“Failure to implement an Appropriation Act is a breach of the law and such a breach is an impeachable offence,” he declared.

Monguno also demanded explanations over recent Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributions, questioning why about ₦1.7 trillion was reportedly retained after approximately ₦3.7 trillion accrued to the Federation Account.

Senator Adamu Aliero also raised concerns over the country’s debt profile and the pace of budget execution.
While acknowledging the construction of major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, he said many other critical projects across the country remained unattended.

Responding, Oyedele explained that amounts retained before FAAC distributions were statutory deductions covering intervention funds, collection costs and other legally approved obligations.

Senate seeks new budgeting model
In his remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, said Nigeria must move away from its current budgeting approach and adopt a performance- and priority-based budgeting system capable of delivering measurable outcomes.

He observed that many expenditure items recur every year with increasing allocations despite limited implementation.

“The Executive and the National Assembly need to review the entire budget framework because several line items continue to repeat themselves annually, placing additional pressure on public finances,” Musa said.

According to him, future budgets should prioritise programmes that deliver tangible results rather than simply rolling over previous allocations.

“Nations that have embraced performance-based budgeting have achieved better fiscal outcomes. Nigeria should not be different,” he added.

Musa also stressed the need for stronger coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities, saying economic reforms would only be meaningful when they translate into improved living standards for Nigerians.

“Ultimately, the success of these reforms will not be judged by statistics alone but by whether ordinary Nigerians can feel the impact in their daily lives,” he said.

The committee resolved to continue engagements with the economic management team as part of efforts to strengthen debt management, improve budget execution and ensure greater fiscal accountability.

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The Black Market Dollar-to-Naira Exchange Rate for 19th July 2026 Can Be Accessed Below.

NOTE: The exchange rate changes hourly. It depends on the volume of dollars available and the Demand. This means…you can buy or sell 1 dollar at a certain rate, and the price can change (high or low) within hours.

The official naira black market exchange rate in Nigeria today, including the Black Market rates, Bureau De Change (BDC), and CBN rates.

Please note that the exchange rate is subject to hourly fluctuations influenced by the supply and demand of dollars in the market.

What’s the dollar to naira black market today, 19th July 2026?
The exchange rate for a dollar to naira at Lagos Parallel Market (Black Market) players sell a dollar for ₦1425 and buy at ₦1412 on Sunday, 19th July, 2026, according to sources at Bureau De Change (BDC).
Please note that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does not recognize the parallel market (black market), as it has directed individuals who want to engage in Forex to approach their respective banks.

Dollar to Naira Black Market Rate Today
Dollar to Naira (USD to NGN) Black Market Exchange Rate Today
Selling Rate ₦1425
Buying Rate ₦1412
Dollar to Naira CBN Rate Today
Dollar to Naira (USD to NGN) CBN Rate Today
Highest Rate ₦1382
Lowest Rate ₦1378