The Nigerian telecoms industry, a two-decade-old sector, is at a juncture that demands strategic investments to sustain its future.
Carl Cruz, the CEO of Airtel Nigeria, has brought to light the pressing issue that threatens the stability and efficiency of the telecoms infrastructure. This is the alarming rate of fibre optic cable cuts, with approximately 1,000 incidents reported monthly.
“Not many of you know, but the number of cuts that we have on our fibre optic cables, and I’m speaking for Airtel, on a monthly basis is over 1000,” Carl Cruz said at the Telecoms Industry 2.0: The Next Investment Frontier in Nigeria, organised by Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) in Lagos today.
Noting the gravity of the situation, Cruz pointed out that these fibre optic cable cuts go beyond disrupting services to also escalating operational costs, ultimately impacting the quality of service delivery across the country, limiting seamless and reliable connectivity to customers.
“This challenge is not just a technical issue but a financial burden on the industry,” Cruz stated.
The fibre optic cables cut issue is compounded by Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, where inflation and currency devaluation have made it difficult for telecom companies to maintain stable operations. Cruz highlighted that these infrastructure challenges are pushing the industry towards an urgent point, where sustained investments are necessary to avoid further decline.
The Nigerian telecoms industry has steadily seen commendable success, driving connectivity and digital growth across the nation. However, as Cruz pointed out, the industry is now at a crossroads where the need for investment in infrastructure, particularly in securing and expanding fibre networks, is paramount.
“Without a secure and resilient infrastructure, the gains of the past two decades could be affected, and the possibility for future growth limited,” he cautioned.
The telecoms industry is at a point where it’s looking to explore new investment opportunities, particularly in 5G deployment and expanding broadband access to underserved areas. However, the tough issue of fibre optic cable cuts is a huge barrier to these advancements.
“If we don’t invest in growing capacity in this industry, it’s not just the companies that will suffer—the entire country will be affected in the near future. Therefore, investment must continue, and ideally, at the pace we saw in previous years.” Cruz said.
With the increasing demand for data and the growing reliance on digital services, the pressure on telecom infrastructure has never been greater. Cruz called for a joint effort from both the private sector and government to address these challenges, noting that collaboration is key to ensuring the industry’s long-term viability.
The next phase of growth for the telecoms sector will hinge on how effectively these issues are addressed, projecting how Telecoms Industry 2.0 in Nigeria will come along.
Comments 3