Nigeria: Telcos and Subscribers Applaud Tinubu for Declaring Telecom Infrastructure as Critical National Assets

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and telecom subscribers have praised President Bola Tinubu for officially designating telecom infrastructure as critical national assets, a move aimed at protecting these vital structures from deliberate vandalism.

The Association of Licensed Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), which represents MNOs, expressed their satisfaction with the President’s decision to endorse their long-standing request, which had been pending before the National Assembly.

ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, commended the President for this approval, highlighting its significance for the telecom industry. “We are elated by this development. It represents a new chapter for the industry, addressing one of the significant challenges we face. The recognition of telecom infrastructure as critical national assets ensures that those who engage in willful vandalism will now face serious consequences. We are deeply grateful to Mr. President,” Adebayo remarked.

In agreement, Deolu Ogunbanjo, President of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOM), also lauded the President’s decision, noting that the delay in addressing the matter had been unnecessary. “We commend Mr. President for this action. It will enable our members to enjoy better service quality. We are pleased and salute the courage of Mr. President,” Ogunbanjo stated.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for persistently advocating for this cause. He noted that the NCC appointed an official to work closely with the National Assembly on this critical issue.

Similarly, Shina Bilesanmi, President of the Association of Telephones, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria), expressed his appreciation for the President’s approval. “This decision reflects that Mr. President is a responsive leader. We are extremely happy and hopeful that this will lead to improved telecom service quality nationwide,” Bilesanmi said. He highlighted that vandalism has been a major issue, with one telecom CEO reporting an average of 1,000 cable cuts per month. “This is unacceptable, as each cut leads to service disruption. The government must enforce strict penalties on those responsible for vandalism. Punishing a few will deter others,” he added.

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), the Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced the development. The post, titled “Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure, 2024,” read:

“I would like to express my gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the release of the official gazette, ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024’.

This is a significant step that will bolster and safeguard investments in the ICT sector by reducing incidents that could disrupt the operations and functionality of our technological systems, infrastructure, and networks.

The security and protection of these Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is a priority for this administration and will help improve the quality of telecom services, which have often been compromised by disruption and intentional damage.

This gazette now makes it an offense to willfully damage assets such as telecom towers/sites, switch stations, data centers, satellite infrastructure, submarine and fiber optic cables, transmission equipment, e-government platforms, databases, among many others.

We will continue our efforts to create an enabling environment and supportive policies for our digital economy to thrive.”