NCC restates commitment to protecting telecom infrastructure
By Emma Ogbuehi
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which criminalises the damage or tampering of critical national infrastructure, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of telecom infrastructure across country.
The Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, reiterated the commitment on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Executives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Federal Capital Territory Council to the NCC headquarters in Abuja.
Mrs. Ukoha who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, expressed deep concern over the destruction of telecom assets such as fibre cables and other components.
She noted that the enforcement of the Presidential Order would address the rising incidents of vandalism, theft, and obstruction at telecom sites that are degrading network service quality across Nigeria.
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Ukoha recalled that on June 24, 2024, President Tinubu signed an Executive Order officially designating telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, thus making any interference or destruction a criminal offense. “The NCC is now tasked with implementing this order in the telecom sector”, she said.
In this regard, she said, 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.
On public concerns regarding data depletion, Ukoha clarified that mobile networks did not “steal” users’ internet subscriptions. Rather, she explained that most data usage resulted from automatic phone and app updates, background app activity, hotspot sharing, and video autoplay.
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 lauded 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.
She further stated 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.
