The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, has emphasized the severe challenges currently confronting telecommunications operators in Nigeria, such as frequent fiber cuts, vandalism, and equipment theft, which are leading to losses in the billions of Naira.
His comments follow President Bola Tinubu’s recent Executive Order designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, according to Nairametrics.
In his keynote address at the CNII Protection and Resilience Workshop organized by the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre, Maida expressed optimism that Nigeria is ready to address these issues.
He noted that the workshop series aims to accelerate the urgent implementation of the CNII Executive Order, marking a significant step towards enhancing the security of Nigeria’s communications and digital infrastructure.
He said, “The telecom industry faces significant challenges, including frequent fibre cuts, vandalism, and theft, which cost operators billions of Naira in revenue and billions of Naira in repair expenses.
“Additionally, restricted access to telecom facilities by property owners and government entities hampers network expansion efforts, limiting connectivity and impacting service quality.”
Over the years, stakeholders in Nigeria’s ICT sector have urged the government to classify telecom infrastructure as a critical national asset to combat ongoing attacks on these facilities nationwide.
In March, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, reiterated this call following an internet outage caused by damage to several fiber optic cables.
In 2023 alone, MTN Nigeria reported over 6,000 fiber cuts. The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, incurring costs exceeding N11 billion—sufficient to construct 870 kilometers of new fiber lines in underserved areas.
