NCC Boss Urges Stronger Protection of Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure
- Aug 23
- 2 min read
NCC Boss Urges Stronger Protection of Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure
By Gloria Sarauniya Usman
ABUJA, NIGERIA August, 2025 -
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has called for urgent and collective action to safeguard the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure, describing it as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy. He made the call in Abuja on Friday, while delivering a keynote address at the 2nd Strategic Stakeholders Meeting of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
Speaking on the theme “Building Resilience in Nigeria's Digital Infrastructure: The Executive Order and Beyond,” Dr. Maida said the designation of telecom assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) by the Presidential Order of June 2024 marked a turning point in protecting the sector. He warned that persistent threats such as vandalism, fibre cuts, cyberattacks, and theft posed grave risks to national security, emergency services, and economic stability.
According to him, the NCC has initiated far-reaching measures to operationalise the Order, including nationwide mapping of telecom assets, the development of a CNII Protection Plan with the Office of the National Security Adviser, stakeholder awareness campaigns, and regulatory mediation with state governments to remove bottlenecks in infrastructure deployment. He stressed that the Commission would continue to prioritise collaboration with security agencies, lawmakers, and the judiciary to enforce compliance where dialogue fails.
Dr. Maida also highlighted the sector’s central role in Nigeria’s economy, noting that telecommunications contribute over 14.4 percent to GDP and support nearly every critical sector, from banking and energy to healthcare and education. He urged telecom operators, state governments, and communities to view telecom infrastructure as a national asset, warning that fragmented approaches and inconsistent policies could undermine the country’s digital ambitions.
While pledging the NCC’s leadership in driving resilience, the EVC called on industry players and stakeholders to join forces in shaping a secure, inclusive, and innovative digital future. “The security and resilience of our national infrastructure is not negotiable,” he said. “Let us commit to invest, collaborate, and protect, so that Nigeria’s digital ecosystem becomes a catalyst for economic empowerment and global competitiveness.”
Comments