Telecom sector faces N11b annual losses due to infrastructure damage — NCC EVC

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has said that the telecom sector is facing annual losses of at least N11 billion due to the destruction of infrastructure.

Maida said this during the inauguration of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Protection and Resilience Workshop, an initiative aimed at improving Nigeria’s communications infrastructure.

He said the annual losses, which could amount to over N10 billion, will accrue as a result of the obstacle of rampant fibre cuts, vandalism, and equipment theft.

Maida stated this following President Bola Tinubu’s recent Executive Order designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

According to Maida, the financial stress on operators, who are forced to spend billions on repairs and preventative measures against ongoing attacks, will be too much.

“In addition, the limited access to telecom facilities imposed by both private landowners and government bodies limits expansion efforts, further worsening the connectivity problems,” he added.

The CNII workshop has been designed to help in safeguarding Nigeria’s telecommunications against threats that disrupt service quality and operational efficiency.

The workshop is also billed to help with the implementation of the Executive Order effectively.

In recent times, industry stakeholders have cried out for the recognition of telecom infrastructure as a national asset, calling on the federal government to fight the incidents of vandalism.