LAGOS — The Federal Government has announced plans to impose strict sanctions on contractors responsible for damaging telecommunications infrastructure across the country, as part of efforts to safeguard Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).
Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) at the Commission’s Lagos office on Thursday.
Olorunnimbe decried the rising cases of fibre optic cable cuts, base station vandalism, tower damage, and access denial, warning that such incidents would no longer go unpunished.
“In this age and time, it is unthinkable for the internet not to work,” he said. “The role telecom services play in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. When there is power cut, it can be managed with generators or solar. When there is water cut, we can dig boreholes. But with telecoms, there is hardly an alternative. The industry supports almost every sector of the economy.”
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu is deeply concerned about protecting Critical National Infrastructure across sectors.
“Mr. President is very concerned about CNI in every sector. We are critical to commerce, health, energy, and many other areas. This industry has impacted socio-economic lives for over two decades and has become the flagship of our country,” Olorunnimbe stated.
Contractors to Face Work Suspension
The NCC chairman said fibre cable damage — particularly by construction firms — must be decisively addressed.
“If contractors know that once they damage any national infrastructure such as fibre cable, their work will be stopped and they will be made to fix it, they will be more careful,” he said. “If there are no consequences, the damage will continue. The message is simple: anyone who damages telecom infrastructure — whether government or private contractor — will fix it before continuing their work.”
Industry data shows the scale of the challenge. The NCC previously disclosed that the sector recorded over 1,100 fibre cuts, 545 cases of access denial, and nearly 100 theft incidents in one year alone. Nigeria’s largest telecom operator also reported more than 9,000 fibre cuts in 2025, with vandalism affecting over 200 network sites by November.
Industry Sees Signs of Recovery
Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, noted that despite infrastructure challenges, the telecom sector is on a recovery path.
“One of the most difficult challenges we faced was the USSD debt crisis, which grew over four years to nearly N300 billion and became a systemic risk to our sector and the digital financial ecosystem,” Adebayo said. “Today, there is no outstanding USSD debt.”
He added that while rising fuel prices continue to pressure operators, energy supply stability has improved compared to previous years.
“On security, vandalism and fibre damage historically posed severe threats to network reliability,” he said.
Adebayo commended the Federal Government for designating telecom assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure through an Executive Order.
“Although this recognition is transformative, more work is required for full operationalisation. It signals strong federal commitment to infrastructure protection,” he said, adding that officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser are currently engaging operators in Lagos to strengthen infrastructure protection measures.
Fibre Cuts Threaten Digital Growth
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, warned that fibre vandalism has far-reaching consequences.
“These statistics are not just numbers; they represent service disruptions for millions of Nigerians and losses running into billions of naira,” Maida said. “Fibre optic vandalism could slow Nigeria’s digital transformation plans.”
The NCC has intensified collaboration with security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to prevent cable damage during road construction, excavation, and civil engineering projects carried out without proper coordination with network operators and regulators.
The Commission reiterated that protecting telecom infrastructure is essential to sustaining Nigeria’s digital economy and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity nationwide.
