NCC Boss, Maida Reiterates NCC’s Commitment to Protecting Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on all stakeholders in the telecommunications industry to build a united front to tackle the challenges of the industry, especially the critical digital infrastructure in Nigeria’s march toward a fully digital economy.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman/CEO of the NCC, made the call when he delivered a speech on “Building Resilience in Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure: The Executive Order and Beyond,” on August 15, 2025, at the 2nd edition of ATCON’s Strategic Stakeholders Meeting—a vital platform for shaping Nigeria’s telecommunications future.
The EVC NCC remarks which were read on his behalf by Mrs. Chioma Ibe, assistant director in the Commission’s Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department, lauded ATCON for its unwavering commitment to advancing our digital economy, highlighted that, “Today’s theme, “Building Resilience in Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure,” underscores a collective imperative: safeguarding the backbone of our nation’s socio-economic growth.
Telecoms as National Lifelines
Dr. Maida stated that the digital transformation of Nigeria has accelerated over the past decade; from e-governance to digital financial services, telemedicine, education, and smart agriculture, the dependency on digital infrastructure continues to grow, but noted that this transformation brings with it a host of vulnerabilities: cyber-attacks, physical sabotage, climate-related disasters, and infrastructural duplication, among others.
Dr. Maida stated that Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, now boasting over 171 million mobile subscribers and contributing 14.4% to GDP as of Q4 2024, has become the backbone of the digital economy.
“With an average of 30 to 43 fibre cuts reported daily by service providers, alongside rising cyberthreats and acts of vandalism, resilience is no longer a luxury, it is a national necessity,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of the Presidential Executive Order of June 2024, which designated telecommunications systems as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), adding that this was a landmark recognition of telecoms as essential to Nigeria’s stability, sovereignty, and prosperity.
Steps Toward Operationalisation
Dr. Maida outlined key interventions in the NCC’s efforts to give full effect to the Order thus:
Infrastructure Mapping: A nationwide exercise to identify and prioritise telecom assets for protection and investment.
Protection Plan: Collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to prevent cyberattacks, vandalism, and sabotage through intelligence-sharing and coordinated response mechanisms.
Public Sensitisation: Campaigns via radio, social media, and community outreach to promote collective responsibility for safeguarding telecom assets.
Partnerships with Ministries: Joint mechanisms with the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to protect fibre cables during construction projects.
Sub-National Engagement: Dialogue with state governments to harmonise right-of-way policies, reduce multiple taxation, and curb local disruptions.
Dispute Mediation: Using dialogue to resolve infrastructure rollout challenges, with notable successes recorded in Osun and Kogi States.
Enforcement: Reserved as a last resort, in partnership with security agencies, to protect national communication systems.
According to him, “These interventions reflect a layered approach to CNII protection, preventive, participatory, and pragmatic.”
Shared Responsibility and Collaboration
Dr. Maida explained that while the NCC, as regulator, is mandated to lead the CNII framework, the task requires the active collaboration of government, operators, security agencies, lawmakers, and local communities.
“A fragmented approach risks diluting our efforts. But together, we can build a cohesive ecosystem that safeguards CNII and drives Nigeria’s digital ambitions,” he said.
“Together, these interventions reflect a layered approach to CNII protection—one that is preventive, participatory, and pragmatic. As threats to critical infrastructure evolve in scope and sophistication—from fibre cuts, theft of fuel and telecom equipment to cyberattacks and misinformation— our response must likewise be adaptive, inclusive, and anchored in shared responsibility,” he added.
The Way Forward
The EVC also outlined five strategic pillars for securing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure to include: Public Awareness & Community Ownership – treating telecom assets as national property; Inter-Stakeholder Collaboration – deepened cooperation across agencies and industry players; Information Sharing – improved coordination during construction and maintenance projects; Streamlined Permit Processes – reducing delays in new infrastructure deployment and Stronger Enforcement – punitive measures for sabotage or damage to national infrastructure.
He charged ATCON members and other stakeholders to collaborate with the Commission, not just to comply with policy, but to build a resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive digital future for Nigeria.
He declared that the security and resilience of our national infrastructure is not negotiable, adding “The Presidential Order challenges us to think beyond compliance—to envision a Nigeria where every citizen benefits from a robust, connected, and secure digital ecosystem. The NCC pledges its unwavering resolve to lead this vision, but its success hinges on our collective action.”
ATCON’s role as a key convener in the summit in shaping Nigeria’s digital destiny brought together industry leaders, government representatives, and security experts, among others.