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Emoekpere says community vigilance is critical to improving service quality and safeguarding Nigeria’s digital economy.
The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, has called on Nigerians to take collective responsibility for protecting telecommunications infrastructure within their communities, warning that persistent vandalism and fibre cuts are a major cause of poor network services nationwide.
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Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Emoekpere stressed that telecom assets—ranging from fibre optic cables and base stations to generators and transmission equipment—are critical national infrastructure that must be protected against vandalism, theft, and accidental damage.
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Why Network Quality Remains a National Challenge
According to Emoekpere, frequent fibre cuts, destruction of facilities during road construction, and deliberate vandalism continue to disrupt services for millions of subscribers across Nigeria. These incidents, he said, undermine operators’ efforts to improve quality of service despite heavy investments in network expansion and upgrades.
He urged residents, community leaders, contractors, and government agencies to actively support telecom operators by reporting suspicious activities around installations and ensuring infrastructure in their neighbourhoods is protected.
“Improving network quality is not the responsibility of operators alone. It requires collaboration between citizens, government institutions, and industry players,” Emoekpere noted.
Telecom Infrastructure Declared Critical National Infrastructure
Protecting telecom infrastructure has become a national priority, with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) formally designating telecommunications facilities as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
This designation was reinforced by an executive order issued by Bola Tinubu, mandating stronger protection, stricter penalties for vandals, and enhanced collaboration with security agencies.
Key Measures to Safeguard Telecom Assets
Legal and Regulatory Enforcement
The CNII framework enables tougher legal action against fibre cuts, generator theft, and vandalism of telecom sites, with regulators pushing for consistent enforcement across states.
Security and Monitoring
The NCC is strengthening surveillance of critical sites in partnership with security agencies to deter criminal activity and protect personnel.
Community Sensitisation
Citizens are being encouraged to see telecom infrastructure as shared community assets, as vandalism and “seal-up” actions often result in prolonged service outages within the same localities.
Preventive Technology and Planning
Operators are deploying geospatial mapping and real-time monitoring to identify high-risk areas, while advocating streamlined right-of-way (RoW) processes to ensure fibre cables are securely laid and protected.
Cybersecurity and Network Resilience
In March 2026, regulators introduced a new Cyber Resilience Framework based on a Zero Trust model to secure expanding 5G and IoT networks against advanced cyber threats.
Reporting Channels
Members of the public are encouraged to report vandalism to [email protected] or via the NCC toll-free line 622.
Rising Vandalism and Mounting Industry Losses
Despite these interventions, challenges persist. Data from 2025 show that over 656 generators and batteries were stolen nationwide, while fibre cuts continued to rise sharply.
In Q1 2026 alone, more than 1,800 fibre-optic cable cuts were recorded, contributing to widespread outages and service degradation. Industry estimates indicate that operators lost over ₦27 billion in 2025 due to vandalism, diesel theft, and infrastructure damage.
Major operators, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, are under increasing pressure to improve service quality, even as security risks threaten more than 12,000 planned site upgrades for 2026.
Operators and Government Intensify Collaboration
To address these risks, telecom companies are working closely with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police to secure critical assets.
ATCON and the NCC continue to advocate stricter penalties for vandals and full enforcement of the CNII framework, while the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has urged accelerated infrastructure upgrades under Project Bridge, a 2025 initiative aimed at expanding fibre capacity nationwide.
Collective Responsibility for Nigeria’s Digital Future
Emoekpere concluded that safeguarding telecom infrastructure is essential not only for better network quality but also for sustaining Nigeria’s digital economy. Without community support and coordinated enforcement, he warned, service disruptions will continue to undermine productivity, inclusion, and economic growth.
