Stakeholders are set to convene at the seventh edition of the Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) to discuss pragmatic strategies for protecting Nigeria’s critical information infrastructure.
This effort aims to safeguard the country’s $75.6 billion telecom industry and ensure uninterrupted service across the states.
The forthcoming summit, themed: “Strengthening Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure through Proactive Implementation and Strategic Coordination,” will bring together key players in the telecom industry, regulatory bodies, and government agencies to deliberate on pressing infrastructure safety concerns.
The initiative follows the recent designation of telecom facilities as critical national assets under the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order, signed by President Bola Tinubu in August 2024.
Industry stakeholders have long expressed concerns over the vulnerability of telecom assets to attacks, vandalism, theft, and arbitrary shutdowns, resulting in significant annual losses and disruptions to telecommunications services.
Omobayo Azeez, lead executive of PIAFo, underscored the importance of safeguarding the telecom sector, emphasising its crucial role in facilitating cross-industry linkages, efficiency, and productivity.
“The telecom sector is the lifeline of the Nigerian economy. If it is not well-protected, all other sectors will feel the impact,” Azeez warned, recalling the nationwide telecom service disruption in March 2024 caused by undersea cable cuts, which resulted in economic losses estimated at $593.6 million.
Azeez also highlighted the alarming frequency of fibre cuts, with over 50,000 incidents recorded in 2024 alone, leading to service blackouts and significant repair costs.