By Mariam Sanni
Industry leaders have identified important measures to secure telecommunications infrastructure in the country and ensure that investments are protected.
The experts argued that as much as the effective implementation of the Executive Order on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure, CNII, is important, the Order cannot solely guarantee infrastructural safety except certain internal and standardisation issues are first resolved by operators.
Speaking at the seventh Policy Implementation Assisted Forum, PIAFo, Summit on CNII implementation held in Lagos, the industry leaders highlighted pressing issues such as infrastructure vandalism, unauthorised installations and cable theft, while proposing actionable solutions to safeguard the country’s critical national infrastructure.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, stressed the importance of proper maintenance and installation to prevent vandalism and theft.
He highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers and poles, attributing the problem to poor maintenance practices.
“When properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft,” he said.
Adebayo also pointed out that community resistance to infrastructure has significantly hindered progress. He recounted instances where local communities prevented trucks from accessing sites due to previous unaddressed damages caused by contractors.
“A diesel supplier was blocked from entering an estate because a previous contractor had damaged their property and failed to make repairs. This lack of accountability breeds distrust and delays crucial projects,” he explained.
He urged stakeholders to foster better relationships with communities to prevent such conflicts.
Another critical issue, Adebayo identified was the unauthorised installation of infrastructure without government’s approval, leading to inadvertent damage during road construction projects.
He called for improved industry coordination to resolve these challenges internally before seeking external solutions that are promised by CNII’s provisions.
Echoing these concerns, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Tony Emoekpere emphasised the need for standardisation and better coordination among stakeholders.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s infrastructural challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.
“We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions,” he explained.
Emoekpere argued that standardisation is the key to long-term sustainability. “If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector and the public—can align with,” he stated.
He also emphasised that Nigeria has strong policies, such as local content policies, but implementation remains a major challenge.
The importance of addressing cable theft and vandalism was further stressed by the CEO of Cedarview Communications Limited, Wale Owoeye.
He described the alarming frequency of cable cuts, which disrupts network operations and drive up maintenance costs.
To combat this growing problem, Owoeye proposed three key approaches, including reorientation, enforcement and proactive measures.
“We need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism. Strict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders,” he said.
He also emphasised the need for preventive strategies rather than reactive responses.
“Prevention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration,” he noted.
As a proactive measure, Owoeye proposed the creation of a dedicated fund to support advocacy and awareness campaigns across Nigeria.
To demonstrate his commitment, he pledged to contribute N500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and encouraged other industry players to follow suit.
The speakers collectively emphasised that addressing these challenges requires collaboration among industry players, government agencies and local communities.
They called for a concerted efforts to enforce policies, engage stakeholders and implement practical solutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunication infrastructure.
