This study examines the application of Simons’ Levers of Control (LOC) framework in managing strategic uncertainty, risk, and performance within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. The study is driven by the fact that the interaction between formal and informal control systems under emerging market conditions is not well understood and that infrastructural weaknesses, regulatory forces and levels of competition present special challenges to strategic management. The data were gathered on 50 respondents purposively chosen to use a quantitative research design and included senior executives, strategy managers, compliance officers, operations managers, and technical staff. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze organizational practices across belief, boundary, diagnostic, and interactive systems.

The findings revealed that although the four levers are in use, there is uneven application of the levers. Belief systems are effective but not consistent within the departments, boundary systems are supported by the regulatory framework like the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR, 2019) but compromised by the weak monitoring, and the diagnostic systems are based on the balanced scorecards that are moderately effective. Interactive systems became the most influential and significant lever, which enables flexibility due to the involvement of the regulator and collaboration across the departments.

The study concludes that the strategic control in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria is best implemented in the form of a hybrid model, as formal and informal mechanisms tend to be complementary to one another. It further recommends that companies should deepen belief and diagnostic systems, intensify a policy of boundary controls, and formalize interactive practices towards producing balanced and sustainable strategic management.