Data obtained by Techeconomy from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) network outage portal showed that the incidents, averaging about 65 fibre cuts daily, disrupted voice, SMS, broadband, enterprise connectivity, fintech operations and digital services across several states during the first quarter of the year.

The figures translate to nearly 1,978 fibre cuts monthly and about 495 weekly, highlighting what industry stakeholders now describe as one of the biggest operational threats facing Nigeria’s digital economy.

Major operators affected during the period included MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, 9mobile, FibreOne, Tizeti, Layer3, Equinix, Broadband Communications Network (BCN), and other infrastructure providers.

The outages were largely linked to road construction activities, accidental cable damage, vandalism, excavation works, bush burning and infrastructure theft.

Industry analysts say the scale of the disruptions underscores the urgent need for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure protection framework, especially as the country accelerates broadband expansion, 5G rollout and digital public infrastructure initiatives.

Telecom Infrastructure under Pressure

For telecom operators, fibre infrastructure serves as the backbone of modern connectivity, supporting mobile networks, internet services, cloud computing, banking platforms, enterprise systems, government digital services and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

A single fibre cut can trigger cascading service failures affecting financial transactions, ATMs, hospitals, logistics systems, security infrastructure and millions of digital users simultaneously.

The recurring incidents are increasingly raising concerns among businesses already battling unstable power supply, rising operating costs and growing dependence on digital platforms.

Several of the most severe outages recorded in Q1 2026 lasted beyond 24 hours, while some network disruptions stretched into days and weeks, particularly in areas affected by ongoing construction activities.

Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Kaduna, Enugu, Borno, Taraba, Anambra and Akwa Ibom were among states most affected by fibre-related outages during the quarter.

Why the NCC’s CNI Push Matters

The latest figures strengthen ongoing efforts by the NCC and industry stakeholders to secure telecom assets under Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure framework.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier signed an Executive Order designating telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, giving telecom assets similar national importance status as oil pipelines, power infrastructure and security installations.

The designation was expected to reduce vandalism, improve coordination around infrastructure projects and strengthen enforcement against deliberate destruction of telecom facilities.

However, operators say implementation remains weak, particularly around road construction projects where fibre cables are frequently damaged during excavation works.

Telecom companies have repeatedly complained about poor coordination between contractors, state agencies and infrastructure operators, leading to repeated service disruptions and rising maintenance costs.

Industry executives estimate that operators spend billions of naira annually repairing damaged fibre infrastructure, resources that could otherwise be invested in network expansion, rural broadband deployment and service quality improvements.

Digital Economy at Risk

As stated by Dr. Aminu Maida, EVC/CEO of NCC as a recent workshop for judges, the fibre cuts crisis is emerging at a critical period for Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.

The Federal Government continues to push for deeper broadband penetration, fintech expansion, digital identity systems, e-government services and artificial intelligence adoption, all of which depend heavily on stable telecom infrastructure.

Analysts warn that unless telecom infrastructure protection becomes fully integrated into national infrastructure planning, Nigeria risks undermining its digital transformation goals.

Repeated outages also threaten investor confidence within the telecommunications sector at a time operators are already contending with forex volatility, inflation, diesel costs and increasing capital expenditure requirements.

For businesses and consumers, however, the impact remains immediate: dropped calls, failed online transactions, slower internet speeds, interrupted digital services and prolonged downtime.

Industry stakeholders are therefore advocating stronger enforcement of CNII protection measures, adoption of “dig-once” policies during road construction, improved collaboration between government agencies and telecom operators, and stiffer penalties for vandalism and negligent infrastructure damage.

As Nigeria’s economy becomes increasingly digitised, experts say fibre infrastructure can no longer be treated as ordinary telecom equipment.

Instead, it is now viewed as strategic national infrastructure critical to economic productivity, financial stability, security and digital inclusion.

The NCC said that (road) construction firms in Edo State notified the commission and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) before commencing road construction works, which is in line with the Commissioned advocacies to protect Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Dr Amimu Maida, the executive vice-chairman (EVC), NCC, who gave the commendation during a media breakfast meeting in Abuja, recently, also urged other states to emulate Edo in reducing fibre cuts during construction.

“I would commend a particular state, Edo, its approach the matter. I will like to appreciate the state’s authorities for the way they have handled that collaboration in a very simple but effective manner.

“Their contractors, prior to starting any work, send out letters to the commission to inform all the telco service providers who own infrastructure to basically give them notice of work.

“That simple action has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of incidences that occur due to construction activities. So it is a model now that we are encouraging other states to adopt.”

On the quality of service that Nigerians are getting from service providers, Maida said that the commission was beginning to see positive signals through independent crowd-sourced data.

He, however, said that more work needed to be done.

“We are still not where we want to be, but we are beginning to see the right signals. The quality of experience is improving rather than services degrading, but at the same time, we are seeing a rise in consumption.

“We are still not where we want to be, but are we satisfied as a regulator? I think the area of satisfaction is the fact that we are beginning to see the right signals.”

The EVC said that operators upgraded about 2,800 sites last year across the three major operators, MTN, Airtel and Globacom, covering new sites, technology upgrades from 2G and 3G to 4G and 5G, and fibre additions.

He said operators had now committed to about 12,000 additional site upgrades and deployments this year.

“These numbers in terms of the work-done also support this. Last year we saw just under 3,000 sites being upgraded and introduced for coverage and capacity.

“But this year they have committed to upgrading and introducing sites, which in total are about 12,000.

“This is across the three major operators, Airtel, Globalcom, and MTM. And this is a combination of new sites which have been upgraded from slower technologies, 2G, 3G, to 4G and 5G.”

On consumer protection, Maida said the NCC recently introduced a compensation directive for subscribers affected by poor service delivery.

He said the move was aimed at ensuring that consumers directly benefited, rather than government alone collecting financial penalties from defaulting operators.

“This is something that is going to be ongoing for those operators that are not showing commitment towards improving and addressing these issues,” he said.

He said that tower companies were also included in the directive, and are required to make additional investments in power and security infrastructure to support better service delivery.

In her remarks, Rimini Makama, the executive commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), said that the quarterly engagement was organised to enable the media to properly inform the public.

“This quarterly interaction is being held precisely because we believe that a well-informed press produces a well-informed public.

“A well informed public is one of the strongest tools we have for driving real progress in the telecom sector,” she said.

Earlier, Nnena Ukoha, the director, Public Affairs at NCC, said that the commission looked forward to frank, constructive conversations on telecom trends.

“It is my expectation that we will constructively utilise this platform for open and frank conversations, sharing insights on the emerging trends in the telecommunications industry.”

[Agency News]