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Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC said it recorded 366 incidents disrupting network services in Anambra between January and October 2024.
Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida gave the statistics in a presentation titled ‘Catalyzing Innovation: Transforming Nigeria’s Technology Landscape’ during the ongoing Anambra Innovation Week at the International Convention Centre in Awka.
According to him, out of the 366 incidents, 130 were due to theft and vandalism, while 236 involved operators being denied access to tower sites.
Dr Maida, who was represented by the Assistant Director in the Commission, Mrs Onuogu observed that each of these incidents had the potential to disrupt services and could cost lives.
He said, “Imagine an individual unable to call for an ambulance or a community is cut off during a crisis simply because a critical telecom site was vandalized or assets for maintenance was denied.
“This is a shared responsibility and the successful implementation of the Critical National Information Infrastructure, CNII in the nation, demands cooperation in every level of government.”
The NCC boss further urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to champion the cause of investing in ICT among members of the Nigerian Governors Forum.
He recalled how President Bola Tinubu recently signed a landmark presidential order designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, CNII.
This he said, highlights the vital role telecoms assets, bay stations, data centers and fiber optics networks play as the backbone of the nation’s digital economy.
He said protecting these assets is not just about protecting technology but about protecting lives.
Telecom infrastructure is the invisible lifeline that connects millions of Nigerians, enabling them to communicate, assess essential services, and even call for help in emergencies.
“I strongly appeal to every state government and indeed Anambra State, to support this initiative. By doing so, we can drastically reduce the risk posed by vandalism and ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
“Let us stand together in protecting our telecoms infrastructure, not just as a foundation for our digital economy, but as a safeguard for the lives and wellbeing of every Nigerian,” he said.
While commending Anambra State Government decision to waive right-of-way charges for telecom companies, Maida said the decision would effectively lower the barriers to broadband infrastructure deployment.
“Anambra State by the decision, has become a model for other states and has the potential to evolve into Nigeria’s own thriving tech hub if it continues to support and invest in forward-thinking ICT initiatives,” he added.
Maida maintained that his Commission is committed to driving a transformative agenda and catalyzing innovation that will shape Nigeria’s technology landscape.
He said; “Our work is focused on expanding digital infrastructure, empowering local talents and supporting businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
“The NCC is implementing the Nigeria Broadband plan which aims to extend broadband and its services to all nooks and crannies of the state, fast affordable network services.”
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