By The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is worried that the challenges affecting telecoms operators’ activities and businesses in the country has escalated.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Maida Aminu, the problems plaguing the industry has gone beyond vandalism and theft, stressing that another critical challenge is the denial of access to telecom facilities by property owners, communities, and various levels of government.
Aminu disclosed this in his address at the Opening Session of the Critical National Information infrastructure (CNII) protection and Resilience Workshop Series for policy makers and sector regulators, organised by the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC), office of the National Security Adviser.
He stated the issue profoundly affects network expansion and maintenance efforts, hindering our ability to meet the high demand for connectivity and services saying that “in 2023 alone, we recorded over 20,000 cases of site access denial, with each case representing a barrier to connecting more Nigerians and facilitating a robust digital economy.”
He explained further that the telecom industry faces significant challenges, including frequent fibre cuts, vandalism, and theft, which cost operators billions of naira in revenue and repair expenses adding that restricted access to telecom facilities by property owners and government entities hampers network expansion efforts, limiting connectivity and impacting service quality.
The NCC boss noted: “as we aim to achieve ambitious national targets, including a 70% broadband penetration rate by 2025 & a 22% GDP contribution by 2027, we know that the protection of our CNII is not only essential but inevitable.”
While harping on the essence of Executive Order by the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NCC boss said, “we now have a framework to address these issues collaboratively. We will prioritize raising awareness and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders to safeguard our national assets and ensure resilient, secure communications for all Nigerians.”
