Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, has called on Nigerians to take collective responsibility for protecting telecommunications infrastructure in their communities as part of efforts to address persistent poor network services across the country.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television monitored by Techeconomy, Emoekpere said telecom assets including fibre optic cables, base stations, power generators, and transmission equipment remain critical national infrastructure that must be safeguarded against vandalism, theft, and accidental damage.
According to him, recurring fibre cuts, destruction of telecom facilities during road construction activities, and vandalism of installations continue to significantly disrupt network services experienced by millions of subscribers nationwide.
“Telecommunications infrastructure is not just for the operators; it is infrastructure that supports the entire economy, businesses, security systems, financial services, education, and digital communication,” he said.
Nigeria’s active internet subscriber base recorded a modest increase in March 2026, climbing to 153.15 million from 152.48 million in February, according to the latest figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission, while broadband penetration stands above 54.30 per cent.
Industry stakeholders, however, say network quality challenges remain a major concern due to infrastructure damage and operational constraints.
Emoekpere noted that fibre optic cable cuts have become increasingly frequent across several parts of the country, often caused by road construction projects, excavation activities, and urban infrastructure works carried out without proper coordination with telecom operators.
Industry data indicates that operators record thousands of fibre cuts annually, leading to service outages, degraded internet quality, dropped calls, and financial losses running into billions of naira.
The ATCON president also highlighted the growing cases of theft of telecom equipment, including batteries, diesel, and power systems at base stations, warning that such incidents continue to affect network availability, especially in remote and underserved communities.
Techeconomy had reported telecom infrastructure theft is increasing in Nigeria, with new data showing that 656 generators and batteries were stolen from network sites in 2025.
Figures from the NCC show 152 generators and 504 batteries were taken within the year and the rate has not reduced since then.
In the first two months of 2026, operators reported 64 stolen batteries and 17 generators.
The ATCON President, therefore, urged residents, community leaders, contractors, and government agencies to support telecom operators by promptly reporting suspicious activities around telecom facilities and ensuring that infrastructure within their neighbourhoods is protected.
According to him, improving telecom service quality in Nigeria requires stronger collaboration between operators, government institutions, infrastructure agencies, and citizens.
“The protection of telecom assets is essential for sustaining reliable connectivity and supporting Nigeria’s digital economy aspirations,” Emoekpere stated.
The Federal Government had earlier designated telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure under the country’s cybersecurity framework, while industry stakeholders continue to advocate stricter enforcement measures and improved coordination among public agencies to reduce infrastructure damage.
Experts say reliable telecommunications infrastructure remains central to Nigeria’s digital transformation ambitions, including financial inclusion, e-commerce growth, e-government services, smart city initiatives, and the expansion of emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence.
