Persistent attacks on telecommunication infrastructure, including fibre cuts, vandalism, and theft, are disrupting network stability across the country, leaving subscribers frustrated.

Despite the recent official classification of telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), these attacks continue unabated, leading to increased dropped calls and weak internet connections for millions of subscribers.

Airtel Nigeria, with its 57.67 million subscribers, reports an average of 43 fibre cuts daily. MTN Nigeria, with 87.55 million subscribers, experiences nearly 40 fibre cuts daily.

According to Jude Ighomena, senior manager at Broadbased Communications, telecom operators in Lagos alone lost an estimated N5 billion in 2024 due to infrastructure damage.

He highlighted that the state recorded over 2,500 fibre cuts last year, with commercial districts such as Ikeja, Lekki, and Victoria Island being the most affected due to ongoing road construction and private developments. Areas like Alimosho and the Mainland are emerging as hotspots for cable theft and vandalism.

In 2023, fibre cuts cost the industry at least $23 million, leading to widespread internet outages and degraded service quality. Fibre optic cables play a critical role in connectivity, bringing network capacity closer to users. As of 2023, Nigeria had deployed 78,676 kilometres of fibre optic cable, with most concentrated in urban areas like Lagos (7,864.60km), Edo (4,892.71km), FCT (4,472.03km), Ogun (4,189.18km), and Niger (3,681.66km).

When cuts happen, communication suffers. In February of 2024, millions of MTN Nigeria customers were unable to make calls or access the internet for about four hours due to multiple fibre cuts.

The telco has continued to suffer similar disruptions this year.

?There have been major cuts this year, many due to construction work,? one insider in the telco said. When cables are not being destroyed by construction work, they are stolen, according to Wale Owoeye, chief executive officer of Cedarview Communications Limited.

?Cable theft is a serious issue. Airtel representatives told me they experience a cable cut every six minutes. The assumption that all black cables contain valuable copper leads to reckless vandalism,? he said.

Repairing these damages is costly and time-consuming. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said, ?Depending on the root of the impact, it can lead to prolonged outages.?

?If we can reduce fibre cuts, network quality will improve significantly,? a telecom executive stated.

To address this persistent problem, the telecom industry has clamoured for the classification of telecoms infrastructure as a national asset. In August 2024, the Federal Government signed the ?Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024.?

CNII assets protected by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) include power plants, electricity grids, oil and gas pipelines, roads, water supply systems, hospitals, and now telecom networks. In countries like China, India, and the United States, damaging telecom infrastructure carries strict penalties, a model Nigeria is now adopting.

Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, emphasised that under the new law, it is now a criminal offence to purposefully damage telecom towers, switch stations, data centres, satellite infrastructure, and fibre optic cables.

Violators face up to 10 years in prison without the option of a fine, while offenses leading to grievous bodily harm carry up to 15 years in prison.

Despite this policy move, operators believe that more is needed in terms of enforcement. ?Someone needs to be made an example of before people take this seriously,? a senior telecom executive noted.

Tony Emoekpere, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), pointed out that Nigeria doesn?t lack strong policies, but implementation. ?We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement,? he stated.

Operators also urge better coordination between government agencies. Adebayo of ALTON highlighted that some government bodies damage telecom infrastructure simply because it is undocumented in official records.

?Government agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records. Proper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure,? he said at the recent ?Policy Implementation Assisted Forum.?

To address this concern, the Federal Government recently established a Joint Standing Committee involving the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to prevent accidental fibre cuts during road construction.

Beyond this, industry stakeholders, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), ALTON, ATCON, Mobile Network Operators, InfraCos, and the NSCDC, are setting up a working group to combat vandalism, theft, and the shutdown of base stations.

Dapo Otunla, senior vice president and Chief Corporate Services Officer of IHS Nigeria, added, ?The protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) has been a critical concern for all industry stakeholders.

?We are experiencing daily losses of assets, which significantly impact the quality of service delivered to subscribers. Addressing these issues is paramount to sustaining Nigeria?s digital ecosystem and meeting regulatory expectations.? (BusinessDay)

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