The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced new measures to safeguard the country’s critical digital infrastructure, in line with a presidential directive to secure assets vital to Nigeria’s economy and national security.
The move comes amid a sharp rise in vandalism of telecom facilities since May 2025. Industry reports show that operators, including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and tower companies such as IHS Towers, have suffered an average of five vandalism incidents daily—up from two per day previously—amounting to 445 cases in just under three months.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said the initiative aims to ensure the resilience of telecommunications and other digital infrastructure against cyberattacks, vandalism, and natural disasters.
“Protecting our critical information infrastructure is not just a regulatory mandate but a national security priority,” Maida said after a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja. “We are working closely with operators, security agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure proactive risk management, rapid incident response, and improved resilience.”
The commission identified telecom base stations, data centres, undersea cable landing stations, and other core network components as priority assets requiring enhanced protection. Operators have frequently reported fibre cuts, equipment theft, and sabotage disrupting services nationwide, with states such as Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and the FCT among the hardest hit.
The NCC’s initiative aligns with the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, which places strong emphasis on securing critical information infrastructure.
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has repeatedly urged for urgent government intervention, including enforcement of the Critical National Infrastructure Act and deeper collaboration with security agencies to protect telecom sites.
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