The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has spoken on the obstacles that telecom operators face in Nigeria, particularly due to rampant fibre cuts, vandalism, and equipment theft, resulting in financial losses amounting to billions of Naira.
This statement was made by Dr Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, during the inauguration of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Protection and Resilience Workshop, an initiative aimed at fortifying the country’s communications infrastructure.
Dr. Maida’s address comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s recent Executive Order designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
This designation aims to safeguard Nigeria’s telecommunications against threats that damage service quality and operational efficiency. The workshop also targets the implementation of the Executive Order effectively.
Dr Maida stated that the financial stress on operators, who are forced to spend billions on repairs and also preventative measures against ongoing attacks is a lot. “In addition, the limited access to telecom facilities imposed by both private landowners and government bodies limits expansion efforts, further worsening the connectivity problems,” he added.
Over the years, industry stakeholders have cried out for the recognition of telecom infrastructure as a national asset, urging the government to tackle the incidents of vandalism.
Earlier this year, Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, stated these issues following the internet outage caused by damaged fibre optic cables.
In 2023, MTN Nigeria reported over 6,000 fibre cuts, which prompted the operator to relocate approximately 2,500 kilometres of its vulnerable fibre lines at a cost exceeding N11 billion. This expenditure could have financed the installation of around 870 kilometres of new fibre lines in unserved areas.
Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Carl Cruz, further revealed that the company encounters an alarming average of 1,000 fibre-cut incidents monthly, pointing to the urgent need for enhanced protection measures for telecom infrastructure.
While the recent classification of telecom infrastructure as a critical national asset has raised hopes for improved security, experts warn that the true effectiveness of this policy hinges on the government’s focus on enforcing it rigorously.
Past attempts, such as the measures announced in June 2020 by former Communications Minister Dr. Isa Pantami, have yielded little success, with infrastructure vandalism remaining a pervasive issue.
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