The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have vowed to prosecute construction firms, contractors, and individuals responsible for damaging fibre optic cables during road construction and other civil works.
The agencies gave the warning in a joint statement released on Wednesday night.
According to them, avoidable fibre damage caused by negligence, poor coordination, or unauthorised excavation now constitutes a criminal offence under existing laws, stressing that enforcement will be stepped up nationwide.
This warning comes amid rising cases of fibre cuts leading to incessant poor network connectivity for Nigerian telecom subscribers.
What they are saying
The NCC and NSCDC described fibre optic cables as critical national assets that underpin Nigeria’s digital economy, power communication networks, support emergency services, connect businesses, and enable government operations.
They warned that the destruction of telecom infrastructure poses a direct threat to national security, economic stability, and public safety, especially as Nigeria becomes increasingly reliant on digital connectivity for commerce and public services.
According to the agencies, telecom fibre infrastructure is now formally protected under the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order 2024.
- “Consequently, any damage resulting from unauthorized digging, construction activities, or failure to collaborate with relevant authorities to prevent damage during construction constitutes a criminal offence,” the statement read in part.
They added that offenders, including construction companies, government contractors, and individuals, will face prosecution and applicable sanctions under existing laws, including the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc. Act 2015.
- “Future damage to fibre optic infrastructure caused by excavation, road construction, or any civil engineering activity conducted without due consultation or collaboration with network operators and relevant regulators will attract strict legal consequences,” the agencies said.
Coordination before excavation
The NCC and NSCDC called on federal, state, and local government agencies, road construction companies, utility service providers, and private developers to comply fully with established procedures before embarking on construction projects.
They advised all parties to conduct pre construction verification of fibre routes, collaborate with the NCC, telecom operators, and the NSCDC before and during construction, and adhere strictly to approved guidelines for excavation and right of way management.
The agencies also urged contractors to report any accidental fibre damage immediately to enable rapid response and mitigation, rather than attempting repairs without authorisation.
Backstory
Last year, the NCC had expressed grave concern over the increasing damage to telecommunications infrastructure nationwide, revealing that MTN, Airtel, 9mobile, and other telecom operators were recording an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every week.
According to the EVC of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the persistent damage to telecom infrastructure has become a major obstacle to Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
With the economy increasingly reliant on resilient digital networks, disruptions caused by vandalism and neglect are stalling progress.
“Our fibre networks, towers, and data centres are the digital lifelines of the Nigerian economy. Any disruption to them has far-reaching consequences,” he said.
What you should know
In August 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed an official gazette designating telecom infrastructure as critical national information infrastructure and making it a criminal offence for anyone to wilfully destroy such infrastructure in the country.
According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the gazette, ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024’, is a significant step that would strengthen and protect investments in the ICT sector.
Despite that, cases of fibre cuts continue to rise on daily basis as enforcement remains ineffective.
