The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser have introduced new standard operating guidelines aimed at protecting Nigeria’s telecommunications fibre-optic infrastructure from damage during construction activities.
The initiative seeks to address frequent disruptions to telecommunications services caused by road construction, building projects and other excavation activities carried out without adequate consideration for underground fibre-optic cables.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed that Nigeria recorded more than 5,000 fibre-optic cable cuts in the first half of the year, stressing the need for concerted national efforts to protect critical digital infrastructure.
He said safeguarding the country’s telecommunications infrastructure was essential to building a resilient digital economy.
The guidelines are being implemented through collaboration among the NCC, ONSA, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Ministry of Works, state authorities and other relevant stakeholders.
The initiative will also address challenges associated with the expansion of the national internet backbone, particularly the lingering Right of Way issue.
Telecommunications operators have continued to encounter high administrative charges and lengthy approval processes from some state governments when seeking to lay fibre-optic cables.
The NCC has been engaging sub-national governments to address the challenges, which stakeholders say have slowed rural broadband expansion, 4G and 5G deployment and the Federal Government’s Project 774 connectivity initiative.
Another major challenge is the absence of a unified geographic mapping system showing the location of existing underground fibre infrastructure.
As a result, construction companies and other contractors may excavate roads and other pathways without knowing the location of existing fibre-optic cables, increasing the risk of network damage.
The issues were highlighted during a one-day workshop in Abuja, where infrastructure and security experts presented strategies for protecting the country’s critical telecommunications assets.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan, addressed issues relating to construction alignment, while the Director of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Protection at ONSA, Air Vice Marshal Enebong Effiom, focused on the national security implications of damage to critical infrastructure.
The Director of Technical Standards at the NCC, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, and the Deputy Commandant General, National Assets and Infrastructure, NSCDC, Dr Benito Eze, also outlined the risks posed by negligence and the need for strict technical monitoring during construction activities.
Under the new regulatory framework, damage to telecommunications infrastructure constitutes a criminal offence and attracts legal sanctions.
The NCC, ONSA, NSCDC, Federal Ministry of Works, state counterparts and other stakeholders are expected to jointly monitor construction corridors and enforce compliance with the guidelines.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring that public infrastructure projects are properly coordinated to prevent damage to underground fibre networks.
The stakeholders said the objective was to ensure that physical connectivity through roads and other infrastructure projects is developed alongside the protection of the digital networks that keep Nigerians connected.
