The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that more than 5,000 fibre-optic cable cuts were recorded across Nigeria in the first six months of 2026, with many of the incidents linked to road excavation, construction and other civil works.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ workshop on the protection of telecommunications infrastructure during road construction and other civil works.
Maida said many of the incidents resulted from inadequate coordination between road contractors and telecommunications operators before construction activities commenced.
‘Over 5,000 fibre cut incidents were reported in the first six months of 2026, linked to road excavation, construction, and related civil work,’ he said.
He warned that fibre cuts should not be regarded merely as an operational cost to telecommunications companies, noting that the disruptions can affect banking, healthcare, education, government services, commerce, security and other activities that depend on reliable digital connectivity.
‘To a machine operator on a construction site, it may appear to be one buried cable. To the nation, it can mean failed calls, poor payments, interrupted services, and missed opportunities,’ Maida said.
According to him, most of the incidents could have been prevented through early coordination and information sharing among contractors, telecom operators and government agencies.
He urged stakeholders to shift from repairing damaged infrastructure to preventing damage before excavation begins.
‘No road contractor sets out to disconnect the community. No telecommunications operator wants to obstruct the building of a road. No public agency wants one vital national project to undermine another. Our interests are aligned,’ he said.
Maida called for a reliable system of early coordination, urging telecom operators to provide accurate information on fibre routes, contractors to verify infrastructure locations before excavation, and government agencies to facilitate timely information exchange.
Also speaking, the Director of Critical National Security and Infrastructure Protection at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Effiom Ewa, said fibre-optic infrastructure has been designated as critical national information infrastructure.
He warned that damage caused by negligence or interference could constitute an offence under Nigerian law, urging contractors and telecom operators to comply with established procedures.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, represented by the Director of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Stanley Musa, said repeated fibre cuts were undermining investments in Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure.
Gagare said the incidents increase operators’ costs, weaken network resilience and disrupt services used by millions of Nigerians.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had established a tripartite standing committee on fibre infrastructure protection to strengthen coordination among government agencies, telecom operators and other stakeholders.