Telecom infrastructure: NCC tightens protection

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has announced a series of new measures to protect the country’s critical telecommunications infrastructure, following a presidential directive mandating stronger security for assets considered vital to Nigeria’s economy and national security.

This move comes as telecom operators face an alarming surge in vandalism and sabotage incidents, which have threatened service delivery and digital connectivity across the nation.



Since May 2025, operators including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and infrastructure firms such as IHS Towers have reported an unprecedented spike in infrastructure attacks.

According to industry reports presented at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, telecom companies now record at least five incidents of vandalism daily—up from an average of two incidents per day before May.

This translates to over 445 cases within 88 days, with the worst-hit regions including Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Edo, Kwara, Kaduna, Ogun, Lagos, Kogi, Ekiti, Osun, Imo, and the Federal Capital Territory.

The incidents range from deliberate fibre optic cuts to equipment theft, sabotage of base stations, and destruction of power supply units.

Industry experts warn that such disruptions not only affect voice and data services but also compromise financial transactions, security operations, and emergency response systems that depend on telecom networks.



Speaking at the Abuja forum, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, stressed that securing the nation’s digital backbone is both a regulatory responsibility and a national priority.

“Protecting our critical information infrastructure is not just a regulatory mandate but a national security priority,” Maida stated.

“We are working closely with operators, security agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure proactive risk management, rapid incident response, and improved resilience.”

According to the NCC, the protection plan will cover telecom base stations, fibre optic networks, undersea cable landing points, and national data centres, all of which are classified as essential to Nigeria’s socio-economic stability.



Operators and industry stakeholders have welcomed the NCC’s intervention, noting that repeated fibre cuts and equipment theft have cost billions of naira in losses and disrupted millions of users.

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has long called for stronger government backing, including the enforcement of the Critical National Infrastructure Act, which would categorise telecom assets as critical national assets deserving the same level of protection as oil facilities and power installations.

“We believe collaboration with security agencies is essential. The vandalism crisis is crippling service quality and affecting businesses that rely on digital connectivity,” one operator remarked.


The NCC’s initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s earlier directive requiring all government agencies to comply with the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy.

This framework emphasises the protection of critical information infrastructure as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s digital economy and national defence.

Analysts say the new policy measures are timely, especially as Nigeria deepens its reliance on digital platforms for banking, e-governance, e-commerce, and national security operations.

Any disruption, they warn, could undermine economic growth and public confidence in digital services.


Experts believe the success of the NCC’s plan will depend on cross-agency collaboration, community awareness, stricter legal enforcement, and technology-driven surveillance systems.

The commission is also expected to roll out public campaigns to sensitise communities on the dangers of vandalism and the importance of protecting telecom assets.

With Nigeria’s telecom sector contributing more than 16% to the nation’s GDP, stakeholders stress that safeguarding digital infrastructure is not optional but fundamental to sustaining growth in Africa’s largest economy.