At the 7th Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) Summit on CNII implementation held Thursday in Lagos, telecom industry leaders stressed that President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) alone cannot guarantee the safety of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
They argued that before CNII can have a real impact, internal operational issues, standardisation challenges, and industry-wide inefficiencies must first be addressed by telecom operators.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), noted the broad challenges such as infrastructure vandalism, unauthorised installations, and cable theft.
He pointed to poor maintenance as a key factor enabling theft and vandalism. “When properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft,” he said.
Beyond vandalism, Adebayo noted that community resistance to telecom projects has slowed progress. He recalled an incident where “A diesel supplier was blocked from entering an estate because a previous contractor had damaged their property and failed to make repairs. This lack of accountability breeds distrust and delays crucial projects.”
To prevent such conflicts, he urged stakeholders to promote better relationships with local communities.
Adebayo also identified the unauthorised installation of telecom infrastructure without government approval as a major issue. He explained, “Government agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records. Proper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure.”
He called for improved coordination within the industry, stressing that operators must resolve internal challenges before relying on external protections promised by CNII provisions.
Tony Emoekpere, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), emphasised that Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.
“We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions,” he said.
He stressed that the lack of proper standardisation weakens infrastructure sustainability. “If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector, and the public—can align with,” he stated.
Emoekpere also noted that while Nigeria has strong policies, such as local content policies, implementation remains a major challenge. “We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement,” he added.
Wale Owoeye, CEO of Cedarview Communications Limited, spoke about the frequent cable theft, which disrupts network operations and increases maintenance costs.
“Cable theft is a serious issue. Airtel representatives told me they experience a cable cut every six minutes. The assumption that all black cables contain valuable copper leads to reckless vandalism,” he explained.
To tackle this, Owoeye proposed three key approaches:
- Community Reorientation – “We need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism.”
- Stricter Enforcement – “Strict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders.”
- Proactive Prevention – “Prevention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration.”
As a necessary measure, he suggested creating a dedicated fund to support advocacy and awareness campaigns across Nigeria.
In this regard, he pledged to contribute ₦500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and encouraged other industry players to follow suit. “This is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution for protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure,” he said.
The speakers collectively emphasised that addressing these challenges requires collaboration among industry players, government agencies, and local communities.
They called for a concerted effort to enforce policies, engage stakeholders, and implement practical solutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
