Amanze ChinonyeThe Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has raised alarm over the fragility of Nigeria’s digital backbone, warning that any disruption to telecommunications infrastructure could paralyse emergency services, cripple financial transactions, and undermine national security. Reaffirming its commitment to protecting these critical assets, the Commission described telecoms as the lifeline of the nation’s economy and everyday life.
Speaking at the 2nd Strategic Stakeholders Meeting of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, warned that disruptions to telecom networks could cripple emergency services, financial transactions, and governance.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“Our infrastructure is no longer just physical—it is virtual, interconnected, and crucial to every sector of society,” Maida said, stressing that resilience was “a national imperative, not a luxury.”
The keynote focused on the implementation of the Presidential Executive Order of June 2024, which designated telecommunications systems, fibre optic cables, data centres, and mobile towers as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
According to Maida, Nigeria’s telecom sector now serves 171 million mobile subscribers with a teledensity of 79.22%, contributing 14.4% to the nation’s GDP as of Q4 2024. Yet the sector faces persistent threats, including cyberattacks, fibre vandalism, and theft. Service providers, he revealed, record an average of 30 to 43 fibre cuts daily across the country.
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“The Presidential Order is a clarion call to protect this vital infrastructure,” he said, adding that it aligns with the National Digital Economy Policy (2020–2030) and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government.
To operationalize the Order, the NCC has launched a series of measures, including:
• Nationwide mapping of telecom assets to guide protection and investment.
• A Critical National Information Infrastructure Protection Plan (CNIIPP) in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser.
• Nationwide awareness campaigns to educate communities on safeguarding telecom facilities.
• Collaboration with the Ministries of Works and Communications to secure fibre cables during road projects.
• Engagement with state governments to harmonize policies on right-of-way and reduce administrative hurdles.
• High-level dialogues with lawmakers, the judiciary, and state attorneys-general to clarify roles in CNII protection.
While Maida stressed collaboration as the preferred approach, he cautioned that enforcement measures would be applied when necessary.
“Enforcement is a measure of last resort our goal is not to penalise, but to preserve the integrity and continuity of national communications systems,” he noted.
Looking ahead, the NCC outlined five pillars for safeguarding digital infrastructure: public awareness and community ownership, inter-stakeholder collaboration, improved information sharing, streamlined permit processes, and stronger deterrence mechanisms against sabotage.
Calling on industry stakeholders to work together, Maida said: “The security and resilience of our national infrastructure is not negotiable. The NCC pledges its unwavering resolve to lead this vision, but its success hinges on our collective action.”
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