The first phase of the exercise, which commenced at Toyin Street, Ikeja, and adjoining streets, revealed widespread cases of improperly deployed over-the-air fibre cables, with several cables found dangerously hanging on gates, utility poles, gutters, and bare floors.

Some of the exposed cables were observed to be live and hanging dangerously close to the ground, posing risks to public safety, environmental aesthetics, and telecom service quality.

Speaking during the exercise, Mr. Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the NCC Lagos Zonal Office, said the initiative forms part of nationwide efforts to safeguard telecommunications infrastructure and improve quality of service delivery.

Represented by Mr. Deji Roberts, Assistant Director at NCC, Jimoh expressed concern over the poor manner in which some telecom infrastructure had been deployed across parts of Lagos.

“The Commission is concerned about the manner these telecom infrastructures are deployed. Neglecting them exposes critical infrastructure to damage and can negatively impact quality of service delivery to subscribers,” he said.

He noted that the exercise is a national initiative currently piloted in Lagos State and commended LASIMRA for its collaboration and support toward sanitising the environment and ensuring proper infrastructure redeployment.

Jimoh also assured residents and subscribers that the cleanup and redeployment process would not disrupt telecom services within the affected areas.

Also speaking, Mr. Akinbiyi Akindipe, Head of Monitoring and Enforcement at LASIMRA, described the exercise as evidence of the Agency’s commitment to maintaining a “human-face” regulatory approach while ensuring compliance with infrastructure standards.

According to him, allowing telecom infrastructure to remain improperly deployed would continue to affect network service quality, public safety, and the urban environment.

“Lagos State under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu places high priority on the protection of critical national infrastructure. However, improper deployment of such infrastructure must be addressed,” he said.

Akindipe added that LASIMRA was giving operators, through ATCON, the opportunity to urgently correct identified infractions before enforcement actions become necessary.

He stressed that the Agency was not in a hurry to impose sanctions but insisted that operators must take immediate responsibility for redeploying infrastructure according to approved standards.

On his part, Mr. Segun Okuneye, chairman of the ATCON Clean-up Committee, said the exercise demonstrates the telecommunications industry’s commitment to supporting environmental sustainability and improving the aesthetics of Lagos State.

“The telecommunications industry remains committed to supporting initiatives that create a cleaner, safer, and more organised environment for residents and businesses across Lagos State,” he said.

Okuneye disclosed that ATCON would convene an urgent industry-wide stakeholders’ meeting to develop a comprehensive roadmap for correcting legacy infrastructure deployment issues and preventing future occurrences.

He further urged Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecom operators to strictly comply with laid-down infrastructure deployment procedures and assured regulators of ATCON members’ readiness to collaborate fully with NCC and LASIMRA throughout the exercise.

The cleanup exercise attracted participation from several telecom infrastructure and service providers, including Galaxy Backbone Limited, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, FibreOne, TNL, ipNX, IHS Nigeria, OneData, African Data Centres, and other industry players.

The initiative is expected to continue across different parts of Lagos State as regulators and industry stakeholders intensify efforts to improve infrastructure standards, public safety, environmental orderliness, and telecom service reliability.

]]> https://techeconomy.ng/exclusive-ncc-lasimra-atcon-begin-telecom-infrastructure-cleanup-exercise-in-lagos/feed/ 0 https://techeconomy.ng/fg-inaugurates-new-board-at-galaxy-backbone/ https://techeconomy.ng/fg-inaugurates-new-board-at-galaxy-backbone/#comments Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:14:28 +0000 https://techeconomy.ng/?p=156648 In a landmark step toward accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, the Federal Government has formally inaugurated the newly reconstituted Board of Directors of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB).

The inauguration ceremony, held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in Abuja, was presided over by Senator Dr. George Akume, who also serves as the Chairman of GBB’s Board.

This development marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Galaxy Backbone’s governance and strategic outlook, underscoring the government’s commitment to building robust digital infrastructure capable of powering Nigeria’s role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In his address, Senator Akume emphasized the strategic importance of Galaxy Backbone to the national digital landscape.

“Our collective objective is to transform Galaxy Backbone into a more agile, responsive, and impactful institution—one that serves as a driving force behind Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure and service delivery,” he said.

The Chairman further called for a culture of collaboration, transparency, and mutual accountability between the Board and Executive Management.

“This partnership must be built on shared vision, openness, and respect. Together, we will elevate GBB to new heights of technological excellence, commercial success, and strategic relevance,” he remarked.

During the ceremony, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, extended a warm welcome to the new Board and presented a brief on the organization’s progress since his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 22, 2024.

Professor Adeyanju highlighted the efforts of the Executive Management team, which, despite operating without a governing board for over a year, successfully developed and launched the Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS) 2025–2028.

This ambitious roadmap is designed to modernize Nigeria’s ICT infrastructure and foster a digitally empowered public service.

The Key pillars of the IDTS include; Modernizing Nigeria’s National ICT Backbone Infrastructure; Building inclusive digital ecosystems connecting government, business, and citizens; Leveraging emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain for smarter service delivery; Enhancing digital trust through cybersecurity and data governance; Diversifying GBB’s revenue base to ensure long-term sustainability.

The strategy aligns with the priorities of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, and supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

In further remarks to the board, Prof. Adeyanju states;

“Your presence marks a turning point in our journey. We are excited to work with a Board whose insight and guidance will be critical to our continued growth and national impact.”

Following the inauguration, the SGF and Board members undertook an official tour of GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC)—the organization’s ultra-modern corporate headquarters.

They visited the Uptime Certified Tier III Data Centre, Security Operations Centre, and Network Operations Centre, all of which are core components of Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure.

Impressed by the scale and sophistication of the facilities, Senator Akume commended Galaxy Backbone for its remarkable achievements and reiterated the government’s commitment to fully leveraging this infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.

The Newly Inaugurated Board Members comprises distinguished professionals and representatives from key national institutions:

• Senator Dr. George Akume (CON) – chairman & secretary to the Government of the Federation
• Professor Ibrahim  Adeyanju – Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Backbone
• Hon. Olusegun Olulade – Executive Director, Customer Centricity & Marketing
• Mr. Olumbe Akinkugbe – Executive Director, Digital Exploration & Technical Services
• Mr. Mohammed Sani Ibrahim – Executive Director, Finance & Corporate Services
• Mrs. Rabi’ah Adamu-Waziri – Non-Executive Director (PTDF Representative)
• Mrs. Oluwakemi Babalogbon – Non-Executive Director (MOFI Representative)
• Mr. Abdulqadir Abubakar Maje – Non-Executive Director (Jigawa State Representative)
• Mrs. Margaret Ene Ebute – Non-Executive Director (Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy)
• Mrs. Adama Pindar – Company Secretary, Galaxy Backbone

With the breadth of expertise and strategic leadership brought by this reconstitution, Galaxy Backbone is well-positioned to advance its mandate of providing secure, reliable, and inclusive digital services across Nigeria.