Special Report: Nigeria’s CNII Order and growing vandalism of telecoms infrastructure

*The rising incidence of vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, as Critical National Information Infrastructure in Nigeria, is fast threatening reliable connectivity, Quality of Service, network stability and consumer experience, as network operators lament spending more to protect themselves vital assets across the ecosystem

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The reported increasing incidence of vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) has been threatening robust telecoms connectivity, Quality of Service (QoS), network stability, and consumer experience across Nigeria.

The Federal Government, in a June 2024 Presidential Order, focused an especial attention on the protection of telecoms assets, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed an Executive Order (EO) designating telecoms as part of the CNII in the West African country.

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The Presidential intervention was aimed at ensuring that these critical information assets are adequately protected from damage, destruction, theft, fire, or disasters in the entire digital ecosystem.

Likewise, industry stakeholders warned that reported persistent attacks on critical telecoms assets, including base stations, fibre optic cables, and power systems could disrupt entire communication services in the country.

The recent development followed a wave of theft and looting of telecoms infrastructure across at least 14 states, report said.

Robust fibre infrastructure, other assets critical to digital transformation, says Maida

Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, in a goodwill message delivered at a recent five-day Strategic Fibre Optics Training Workshop, in Abuja, FCT, had averred that robust and well-regulated fibre infrastructure remain critical to any digital transformation agenda.

Maida stated: “As a nation committed to bridging the digital divide and accelerating broadband penetration, we recognise that strategic fibre deployment is a catalyst for economic growth, financial inclusion, education, healthcare, agriculture and efficient public service delivery.”

The NCC Chief further noted that the Federal Government, through Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth) under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), would deploy 90,000 kilometres additional of fibre optic cable nationwide.

On significance of designating telecoms infrastructure as CNII in Nigeria

Affirming the ultimate importance of the 2024 Presidential Order designating telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), Dr. Maida emphasized that “sustained collaboration” with stakeholders has remained a central pillar of the Commission’s regulatory approach to drive infrastructure deployment and sectoral growth.

Reiterating NCC’s commitment to human capital development, the NCC Chief Executive opined that a well-trained workforce is essential to achieving a fully connected and digitally empowered country.

ConsumerConnect reports besides the Commission’s ongoing comprehensive review of the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, it has proposed a new chapter dedicated to Broadband development and protection of critical communications infrastructure in consonance with President Tinubu’s Executive Order designating telecommunications assets as part of the CNII in Nigeria.

Besides telecoms connectivity, disruption of digital services, and undermining of national security, some industry stakeholders have equally observed that the Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also relies heavily on stable network services for coordination and result transmission in the electoral system.

In regard to the 2027 General Elections, telecoms networks are used for the real-time transmission of results from polling units through electronic systems, such as the INEC Result Viewing (iRev) Portal, as well as for communication between field officials, security agencies, and collation centres during elections across the West African country.

Telecoms infrastructure likewise, support voter accreditation processes, digital reporting, and dissemination of election updates to the public.

What NCC data on telecoms vandalism reveal

Underscoring the seriousness of security of telecoms infrastructure in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recent industry data indicated that criminal elements have increasingly targeted telecoms sites in 14 states of the Federation.

The NCC, in the report, noted the marauders also stole about 656 critical power assets 2025 alone.

The telecoms sector regulatory Commission said such affected assets included 152 generators and 504 batteries, with the trend persisting into early 2026.

Incidentally, the worrisome situation is reportedly worsened by rampant diesel theft recorded in 1,344 incidents, alongside frequent fibre cuts, which averaged about 1,100 cases weekly by late 2025, noted the situation report.

Aside from these troubling statistics, the NCC report as well disclosed between January and February 2026, sixty-four additional batteries, and 17 generators were stolen, while cable theft rose sharply to 160 cases in January from 74 recorded in the same period of 2025, and 151 cases in February from 73 a year earlier.

Diesel theft also accounted for 222 incidents within the two-month period.

Such incidents significantly, disrupted network operations nationwide across the Nigerian Federation, the report noted.

The most affected areas include Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna, Niger, Osun and Kwara states.

The telecoms regulator noted these are locations, where armed groups and vandals routinely target telecoms sites, stealing equipment, including power cables, rectifiers, feeder cables, solar panels and diesel, among other assets.

Disruptions shifting from operational to existential for telecoms: ATCON President

Speaking on the pressing situation regarding the safety of the country’s Critical National Information Infrastructure in recent times, Mr. Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said the scale of the attacks had pushed the crisis beyond routine operational challenges of late.

Emoekpere observed the loss of power generators, batteries, and other critical assets is translating directly into service disruptions.

The President of ATCON reportedly said: “Being direct, this issue has moved from being operational to being existential for the industry. “We are spending more to protect infrastructure than we should, and that is not sustainable.”

He equally lamented: “When sites go down, you immediately see increased call drops, poorer voice quality, and slower or completely unavailable data services.”

Emoekpere also explained though urban areas might reroute traffic, telecoms consumers in particularly rural locations often experience total outages.

Toye Apampa, a telecoms expert and Founder of Metaheuristic, also affirmed the current scale of attacks on telecoms infrastructure across Nigeria could undermine systems that underpin not only electoral process but also broader services for digital consumers.

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Apampa said the scale and trajectory of the damage being witnessed in the digital space suggested a widening gap between policy formation and enforcement in the West African country.

The expert was quoted to have said: “You cannot sustain the scale of diesel theft and weekly fibre cuts the NCC is reporting against that baseline and expect the national systems resting on it to function.

“The UNDP Digital Development Compass already scores Nigeria’s connectivity at 2.27 out of 5.99 and physical infrastructure at 2.15, which the Compass calls the Systematic stage, meaning the foundations exist but remain fragile.”

Implications on e-transmission of election results

In their submissions, some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and opposition party stakeholders have claimed the increasing rate of vandalism of telecoms assets could be deliberate after all.

Omenazu Jackson, Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, in an interview with Sunday Punch, alleged the spate of vandalism could be a deliberate attempt to undermine the electoral process, especially the controversial electronic transformation of election results in 2027 General Elections.

Jackson stated: “These things are deliberate sabotage by the ruling party.

“They have already cornered the 14 states so that elections would be done manually in those states.”

He also averred: “These actions are being taken as if Nigerians are fools.

“Let it be known that we are aware of what is going on. We are not children.

“The government should go back and fix those things before the election. If they don’t fix those 14 states, the election should not hold.”

Jackson further said: “The next election is between the extremely poor and the extremely rich, and the latter, being in the minority, know that the masses have risen to defend their mandate.

“The only way the elite can have their way is to subvert the system.”

Toeing Jackson’s line of thought, Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, emphasised the responsibility for preventing vandalism and guaranteeing the success of electoral processes lay squarely with the Nigerian  Government.

Rafsanjani reportedly stated: “If the government is determined to ensure that e-transmission does not work, it will not work because it will create conditions for it not to work.

“But if the government is determined to ensure that Nigerians have free, fair, and credible elections, it will happen.”

CSOs recommend punitive measures against vandalisation of public assets

Underlining the significance of protecting vital information infrastructure, Rafsanjani submitted that the presence of multiple security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), as well as community structures should be actively engaged in protecting public assets from destruction by vandals.

The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre emphasised the success or failure of next year’s General Elections would depend on the government’s resolve.

Deliberate actions or inaction could undermine the process, said he.

Rafsanjani, however, cautioned Nigerians against any narrative that normalises vandalism, suggesting it could indicate complicity or negligence.

He declared: “The government must ensure that nothing undermines the 2027 Elections, including the vandalisation of public assets or property.

“Anybody involved in destroying public property should be arrested and prosecuted so that it serves as a lesson,” Musa said.

CACOL: E-transmission of elections predates vandalism of telecoms infrastructure

In his submission, Debo Adeniran, Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), rather stressed the broader economic and social consequences of vandalism.

Adeniran warned that such vandalism and subsequent disruptions could destabilise telecommunications, businesses, and public safety in Nigeria.

The Executive Director of CACOL particularly noted that the debate over the electronic transmission of election results predates the issue of vandalism, but warned that the continued destruction of infrastructure could worsen existing challenges.

He also explained: “When you talk about the e-transmission of election results, it has been in contention for some time, even without vandalism.

“The electoral law did not assure us of real-time transmission of electoral results. But vandalism can only compound the issues.”

He as well described as inadequate government responses to security concerns in the country.

‘Governance must prioritise citizens’ welfare, safety’

Underlining the strategic importance of protecting lives and property of the citizenry, Adeniran insisted that governance must prioritise citizens’ welfare and safety in Nigeria.

The Executive Director of CACOL advocated contingency planning to ensure that elections could proceed under any circumstances, suggesting multiple alternatives to electronic transmission in the country.

“There should be a Plan B, as we have suggested before, even during the debate over whether the electoral law provides for real-time transmission.

“There should be Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and even Plan D, so that if one fails, another will work.”

According to him, the potential use of satellite technology, and manual systems are viable backup options.

Adeniran emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and resilience in the Nigeria’s electoral system.

The CACOL Chief Executive added: “No matter what happens, the government must find a way to secure lives and property, including the business environment.      “Business owners should not be afraid to operate because of criminal activities that may drive them out of business.”

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