NCC reiterates commitment to protection of Telecom Infrastructure Following President Tinubu’s Executive Order

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has gone ahead with plans to operationalise President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which criminalises the damage or tampering of critical national infrastructure, including telecom facilities.

This enforcement aims to address the rising incidents of vandalism, theft, and obstruction at telecom sites that are degrading network service quality across Nigeria.

Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Head, Public Affairs at the NCC, conveyed this during a courtesy visit by the executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Federal Capital Territory Council to the NCC headquarters in Abuja.

She represented the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida. Also present were several senior NCC officials responsible for communications, media, protocol, and government relations.

Mrs. Ukoha expressed deep concern over the destruction of telecom assets such as fibre cables and other components. She highlighted that on June 24, 2024, President Tinubu signed an Executive Order officially designating telecom infrastructure as “critical national infrastructure,” making any interference or destruction a criminal offense. The NCC is now tasked with implementing this order in the telecom sector.

She explained that the NCC has launched a public awareness campaign about the importance of protecting these facilities, which also include energy and transport infrastructure. The Commission identified three major challenges affecting telecom operations:
• Vandalism and theft: Frequent attacks resulting in cutting of cables, stolen generators and fuel, and removal of critical components, severely impacting service for millions.

• Site access denial: Telecom operators often face obstruction from local communities, touts, and government agencies demanding fees, delaying maintenance and refuelling of generators.

• Road Construction Related Damages: Construction work often results in fibre being damaged.

Addressing public concerns about data depletion, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha clarified that mobile networks do not “steal” users’ internet data subscriptions. Instead, data consumption is often due to users’ phone and app management, such as automatic updates, background app refresh, and hotspot sharing.

She advised users to monitor data usage, disable background updates, understand their data plans, change hotspot passwords regularly, and avoid high-resolution downloads and auto-play settings.

Mrs. Ukoha praised journalists for their role in educating the public and called for continued collaboration between the NCC and the NUJ to share accurate information. She also highlighted NCC’s efforts to support underserved areas with affordable internet access and to train journalists, especially senior editors, in Lagos and Abuja.

Furthermore, she revealed that the NCC is collaborating with stakeholders to reduce accidental damage to telecom infrastructure, especially fibre, during construction. She emphasized the need for better coordination as nationwide construction activities increase.

Mallam Yakubu Musa, Head of Corporate Communications at NCC, reaffirmed the strong partnership between the NCC and the media, acknowledging the media’s role in educating consumers and promoting transparency in the telecom ecosystem.

NUJ FCT Chairman Comrade Grace Ike expressed the Union’s desire to build a strategic partnership with the NCC on training, public awareness, affordable internet access for journalists, and promoting transparency.

She commended the NCC’s leadership in regulating the industry and emphasized the importance of improving journalists’ access to digital tools. She also requested NCC’s support for NUJ FCT’s upcoming Press Week and capacity-building activities.

The NUJ delegation included key officers and media team members, reflecting the Union’s commitment to collaboration.

This enforcement initiative follows President Tinubu’s July 2024 Executive Order designating all telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), providing a robust legal framework to protect these vital assets and ensure uninterrupted service delivery nationwide.