*The Nigerian telecoms industry leaders besides the presidential Executive Order on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure, highlight further important measures to secure the telecommunications infrastructure towards ensuring that investments in the space are protected

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian telecoms industry leaders have identified further important measures to secure the telecommunications infrastructure towards ensuring that investments in the space are protected.

The stakeholders, at the recent 7th聽Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) Summit on CNII implementation, held in Lagos, contended that as much as the effective implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu鈥檚 Executive Order (EO) on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is important, the Order cannot 鈥渟olely guarantee infrastructure safety, except certain internal and standardisation issues are first resolved by operators.

L-R:聽Associate Director, Government Relations, IHS Nigeria, Bond Abbe; Co-founder, Infratel Africa, Dr. Tola Yusuf; Group Chief Operating Officer, WTES Projects Limited, Chidi Ajuzie; President of ATCON, Tony Emoekpere; National Chairman of ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo; and Convener, Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo), Omobayo Azeez, at the 7th Edition of PIAFo in Lagos

Speaking at the PIAFo Summit on CNII implementation, in Lagos, the聽industry leaders highlighted pressing issues, such as infrastructure vandalism, unauthorised installations, and cable theft, while proposing actionable solutions to safeguard the country鈥檚 critical national infrastructure.

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), stressed the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and installation to prevent vandalism and theft.

Adebayo highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers and poles, attributing the problem to poor maintenance practices.

He also stated: 鈥淲hen properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft.鈥�

The expert noted that community resistance to infrastructure projects has significantly hindered progress.

He equally recounted instances where local communities prevented trucks from accessing sites due to previous unaddressed damages caused by contractors.

鈥淎 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,鈥� he explained.

Adebayo, therefore, urged stakeholders to foster better relationships with communities to prevent such conflicts.

Besides, he identified the unauthorised installation of infrastructure without government approval, leading to inadvertent damage during road construction projects.

He lamented: 鈥淕overnment agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records.

鈥淧roper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure.鈥�

The Chairman of ALTON advocate improved industry coordination to resolve these challenges internally before seeking external solutions that are promised by the CNII provisions.

Echoing these concerns, Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), also emphasised the need for standardisation and better coordination among stakeholders.

Emoekpere observed that Nigeria鈥檚 infrastructure challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.

He explained: 鈥淲e are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem鈥攚orkers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel.

鈥淭hese issues require both technical and ethical solutions.鈥�

The President of ATCON also argued that standardisation is the key to long-term sustainability.

鈥淚f infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders鈥攇overnment, private sector, and the public鈥攃an align with,鈥� he stated.

Emoekpere emphasised that Nigeria has strong policies, such as local content policies, but implementation remains a major challenge.

He stated: 鈥淲e must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement.鈥�

Wale Owoeye, CEO of Cedarview Communications Limited, also addressed the importance of addressing cable theft and vandalism was further stressed by

Owoeye described the alarming frequency of cable cuts, which disrupt network operations and drive up maintenance costs.

鈥淐able 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,鈥� he explained.

To combat this growing problem, Owoeye proposed three key approaches, including reorientation, enforcement, and proactive measures.

鈥淲e need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism.

鈥淪trict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders,鈥� he said.

The company executive also emphasised the need for preventive strategies rather than reactive responses.

He noted: 鈥淧revention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration.鈥�

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.

鈥淭his is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution for protecting Nigeria鈥檚 telecom infrastructure,鈥� he said.

The speakers collectively, emphasised that addressing these challenges requires collaboration among industry players, government agencies, and local communities.

The experts also advocated a concerted effort to enforce policies, engage stakeholders, and implement practical solutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria鈥檚 telecommunications infrastructure.

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