IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has stressed that robust infrastructure protection mechanisms will be critical in enthroning a more efficient digital economy in the country.
This is even as the firm reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government and stakeholders in building a resilient communication infrastructure landscape.
Mr. Sadisu Jubrin, the director of Administration Operations at IHS, who stated this, called for a holistic and sustainable strategy to safeguard the country’s critical communications infrastructure.
Jubrin noted that legislation alone is not enough to address persistent cases of infrastructure theft and vandalism.
Speaking in Lagos at a stakeholder collaborative event organized by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) and the Association of Licenced Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) with the theme: ‘Critical National ICT Infrastructure and Industry Sustainability – Way Forward,’ Jubrin said IHS Nigeria advocates a multi-faceted approach, including public awareness, technological innovation, and strong partnerships with security agencies and local communities.
According to him, IHS Nigeria has strengthened collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) via a joint national advocacy campaign on radio and digital platforms.
“The campaign educates host communities on vandalism dangers and how damaged infrastructure affects businesses, including access to finance through Point of Sale (PoS) terminals.
“We must empower our communities to become the first line of defence against infrastructure sabotage,” he said.
Jubrin highlighted the importance of helping locals realise how stolen batteries or fibre directly impact their daily lives negatively.
To bolster physical security, IHS Nigeria recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The partnership aims to improve site surveillance, emergency response, and ensure prosecution of those involved in vandalism.
Jubrin explained that IHS uses remote monitoring and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for real-time surveillance of its infrastructure assets. He said this technology helps detect unauthorised access, predict maintenance needs, and reduce physical site visits.
He also noted that IHS Nigeria has also launched community protection programmes in key areas to protect essential hub sites.
“This initiative instils local ownership and provides employment opportunities for community members,” he said.
Jubrin emphasised that the success of these efforts depends on strong partnerships with key stakeholders.
He revealed that IHS Nigeria has teamed up with G4S to deploy 650 rapid response patrol vehicles nationwide. These vehicles are fitted with communication systems connected directly to the network operations centre for swift incident response.
The IHS representative urged operators, regulators, security agencies, and citizens to act on the recent NCC executive order without delay.
Speaking as a panellist, Associate Director, Government Relations, IHS Towers, Bond Abbe, stressed the importance of collaboration in cutting to the barest minimum, rising cases of vandalism.
According to Abbe, stakeholders, including government, security agencies, towercos (Tower companies) and telcos must come together to fight the menace, stressing that the crisis is becoming a major threat to an efficient telecom sector.
Saying that IHS has never for one day relented in providing security at its over 16, 000 towers and 15,000km of fibre across Nigeria, Abbe said promoting the development of critical national infrastructure remains a major task.
