Telecoms Infrastructure Damage: NCC, MTN, Airtel, 9mobile Release Scaring Statistics

Telecoms infrastructure damage in the country may have reached an alarming level, with operators revealing scaring statistics.

Attention to this worrisome developed was drawn during the last Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) and Sustainability Conference held in Lagos.

Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, revealed that MTN, Airtel, 9mobile, and other telecom operators now record an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every week.

Aside the huge financial losses occasioned by such telecoms infrastructure damage, network glitches have worsened.

The event, organised by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), focused on the theme: “Critical National ICT Infrastructure and Industry Sustainability: Way Forward.”

“These are not just numbers. They reflect a national emergency. Every fibre cut, every theft, and every case of sabotage contributes to dropped calls, failed transactions, interrupted emergency services, and economic losses,” Maida warned.

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Executive Vice Chairman who was represented by Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Mr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said operators record an average of 545 access denial cases and 99 theft incidents weekly.

Other statistics of concern traded at the event are:

1. 2023 recorded over 50,000 cases of destruction of fibre optic cables/other telecommunication infrastructure
2. Telecoms Infrastructure damage resulted in revenue losses of N12 billion in both 2022
3. Key areas that gulped the sum are customer compensation, site relocations and fibre resilience costs.
4. repairs and economic opportunity losses reach N35billion
5. fiber optic cables subject of vandalism and theft
6. other damages to operators’ fiber cables traced to construction activities, gas pipe installation and bush burning respectively.

“Damaging telecom infrastructure affects us all—from access to healthcare and mobile banking to education and staying connected with loved ones”, NCC said.