As the broadcasting and media sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation, regulators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders are challenged to rethink the frameworks that have governed traditional broadcasting for decades.
At the upcoming Broadcasting and Digital Media Convention—West Africa 2025, held from 06 to 07 August 2025 in Central Lagos, Nigeria, one of the key conversations will focus on “Understanding Changes in Regulatory and Policy Regimes for a Converged World.”
In today’s digitally converged environment, the traditional lines between broadcasting, telecommunications, and online platforms are rapidly blurring. Audiences now consume content across multiple devices and platforms, while content creators distribute material far beyond national boundaries. However, regulatory regimes in many African countries remain rigid, often based on outdated models that separate broadcast and telecom services and fail to account for the global nature of digital content dissemination.
In response, the Broadcasters Convention will explore strategic solutions such as creating unified regulatory bodies or frameworks that comprehensively govern content, infrastructure, platforms, and regional harmonisation policies to facilitate cross-border content flow and investment.
Adopting co-regulation and self-regulation models will balance the two, fostering innovation with accountability. This will be done alongside developing robust data governance and privacy laws tailored to Africa’s distinct socio-economic and digital realities.
“There’s an urgent need for a paradigm shift,” says Benjamin Pius, CEO of Broadcast Media Africa. “Africa’s future in the digital media ecosystem depends on bold regulatory reforms that encourage innovation while protecting the public interest.”
The Convention will convene experts, regulators, content creators, and technology providers to highlight the gaps and ignite actionable pathways towards agile, forward-looking policy and regulatory environments across Africa.
For more information, please visit our website here.
