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In Nigeria, frequent occurrences of metro and terrestrial fiber cuts are leading to poor internet experiences, increased maintenance costs for operators, and prolonged outages for customers. According to industry players, around 80% of these fiber cuts are caused by construction activities from both government and private sectors. Additionally, fishing trawlers, dredgers, oil companies, and vessel activities significantly disrupt subsea cables.
Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), emphasized the severity of fiber cuts at the inaugural ATCON Critical Conversation Breakfast Meeting in Lagos. The event, themed “The Direct and Indirect Causes and Impact of Metro, Terrestrial, and Submarine Fibre Disruptions (Cuts) – Short, Medium, and Long-Term Sustainable Solutions,” highlighted these disruptions as major obstacles to the growth of Nigeria’s telecom sector. Emoekpere advocated for the ‘Dig Once Policy’ as a solution to mitigate this challenge.
Emoekpere recounted a recent incident where subsea cable cuts significantly impacted Nigeria and other African countries. He stated, “The recurring disruptions of metro, terrestrial, and submarine fibers must be addressed by relevant agencies at all levels of government. Our members have incurred substantial expenses to fix these disruptions, impacting their operational costs.”
ATCON is advocating for proactive measures, including the construction of ducts during new road projects to prevent future fiber cuts. Emoekpere recommended enforcing the provision in the Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, which requires the NCC to have a desk officer in each state to oversee the fiber network and minimize cuts during road construction.
He also highlighted the telecom sector’s significant contribution of over 14% to Nigeria’s GDP, suggesting that addressing fiber disruptions could unlock even greater potential for the industry.
To further protect telecom infrastructure, Emoekpere stressed the need for more collaboration between telecom operators, the government, developers, and road contractors. He called for compensation for fiber cable cuts and increased training and awareness about the importance of fiber cables and the negative impacts of disruptions. Emoekpere advocated for declaring telecom assets as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and implementing the ‘Dig Once Policy’ to prevent damage during cable laying.
Lekan Balogun, CEO of NetAccess, identified government and private contractors, man-made errors, planning and design flaws, and natural causes as major contributors to fiber cuts. He recommended the use of protective materials like metals instead of plastics to safeguard cables from damage.
During a panel session moderated by Wole Abu, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, industry experts warned that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project poses a significant risk to submarine cables. Abu stated, “Nigeria and Africa as a whole could face another internet outage if these cables are damaged during construction, severely impacting the economy, particularly financial services and other sectors reliant on digital infrastructure.”
Experts agreed on the need for collaboration between telecom companies and government agencies such as NIMASA, NIWA, FMWH, and the Navy to monitor and support submarine cable systems. “It is crucial that a concerted effort is made today to secure our digital future,” Abu emphasized.
ATCON members at the event widely agreed on the government’s crucial role in protecting telecom infrastructure through the passage of the Critical National Infrastructure bill, promoting inter-agency cooperation, increasing awareness, and aligning certification for fiber optic service providers. While the National Broadband Plan was praised as a good policy, stakeholders suggested closer monitoring of its implementation to ensure its success.
The telecommunications industry has made significant strides, contributing over 14% of Nigeria’s GDP, and is poised for further growth with emerging technology trends. Addressing the challenges of fiber disruptions is essential for realizing the sector’s full potential.
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