…As stakeholders push for enforcement, public awareness, protection fund
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is facing an alarming surge in sabotage, with an average of 1,744 attacks recorded weekly across the country.
This figure includes approximately 1,100 fibre cuts, 545 incidents of access denial, and 99 cases of theft, posing a significant threat to service quality, network expansion, and national security.
This revelation came during the Industry Sustainability and Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Conference, organised by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) in partnership with the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), in Lagos, on Thursday, where top officials and stakeholders gathered to address the growing crisis.
The executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, warned that telecom infrastructure sabotage has reached a critical level, with direct implications for millions of Nigerians and the stability of the digital economy.
Maida who was represented by the director of technical standards and network integrity, NCC, Edoyemi Ogoh, described the situation as a national emergency, noting that damage to infrastructure not only disrupts voice and data services but also threatens critical systems that underpin banking, emergency communications, healthcare delivery, education, and governance.
He stressed that the persistent attacks were undermining Nigeria’s broadband expansion targets and digital inclusion goals, especially in underserved areas.
The Commission reaffirmed that the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure had been designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the Cybersecurity Act. This designation, Maida said, requires coordinated action across government, regulators, law enforcement, private operators, and the public to ensure its protection.
The EVC said the Commission had taken multiple steps, including stricter enforcement of technical standards, targeted stakeholder engagements, mediation to resolve access disputes, and a broad-based public awareness campaign to curb sabotage.
He explained that beyond engagement, enforcement measures would be activated when necessary, especially where dialogue and regulatory intervention fail to yield results. The NCC is also collaborating closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to align CNII enforcement with the broader national security framework, he disclosed.
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Maida urged all stakeholders, including government agencies, operators, civil society, and the media, to treat the protection of CNII as a national emergency, while assuring that the Commission would continue to work with partners across sectors to build a secure, resilient, and inclusive communications ecosystem that can support Nigeria’s digital transformation and safeguard critical infrastructure for future generations.
Media and industry leaders also expressed concern about the increasing vandalism and theft of telecom infrastructure.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, echoed similar concerns and stressed that operators must lead by example.
Adebayo said many sites lack basic protection measures like fences and locks, making them easy targets for criminals. He highlighted the growing black market for stolen telecom components, calling on law enforcement to crack down on the sale and distribution of these items.
ALTON chairman warned that without serious consequences for offenders, the sabotage would persist and worsen.
The conference also exposed broader structural and regulatory challenges confronting the sector, including the high cost of diesel powering base stations, multiple taxation and Right-of-Way delays across states, prolonged approval processes for new infrastructure, and an uptick in cyber threats as over-the-top (OTT) and Internet of Things (IoT) services grow in usage.
Speakers at the event agreed that sustaining Nigeria’s digital economy requires stronger collaboration, enforcement, and investment in public awareness. They warned that the cost of inaction, ranging from service disruptions and lost investor confidence to national security threats, is too high for the country to ignore.
President of NITRA, Chike Onwuegbuchi, called for the establishment of a dedicated trust fund to support infrastructure protection and security. He decried the public’s limited understanding of the damage caused by such attacks, stressing that many still view telecom equipment as materials to be stolen and sold, unaware of the impact on their own communities.
Onwuegbuchi revealed that a bill currently before the National Assembly seeks to criminalise telecom vandalism as a serious offence, urging stakeholders to commit to more public education, grassroots engagement, and shared responsibility in safeguarding critical infrastructure.
