• Nigeria cracks down on construction-linked fiber optic damage
• Over 50,000 fiber cuts recorded in 2024, mainly road projects
• Fiber vandalism threatens $2 billion national broadband rollout

Nigeria's telecommunications regulator is stepping up its crackdown on damage to fiber optic infrastructure, particularly focusing on construction companies, contractors, and other actors whose projects repeatedly cut cables.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has partnered with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to tackle the problem, according to local press reports citing a joint statement released on Sunday, Feb. 1. Both organisations say they will take action to prevent further damage caused during excavation, roadworks, or civil engineering projects carried out without prior coordination with network operators and relevant regulators.

The NCC said excavation, drilling, trenching and road construction are the main causes of accidental fiber cuts. Of more than 50,000 incidents recorded in 2024, around 30,000 were linked to road projects undertaken by federal and state authorities.

The partnership follows the creation in February 2025 of an inter-ministerial committee for the protection of fiber optics, set up by the Federal Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. Made up of officials from both ministries and the NCC, the committee serves as a coordinating body on cable protection before, during and after road projects. It meets regularly to identify problems, agree on sector-specific solutions, establish intervention standards and procedures, and share monthly performance reports.

On May 26, 2025, the NCC launched a dedicated platform for the public to report such incidents. In April 2025, telecom operators also formed an industry infrastructure protection group to coordinate prevention and response efforts.

These initiatives follow an executive order signed in August 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which declared telecommunications infrastructure, including fiber optics, as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). Damaging such infrastructure is now a criminal offence under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.

"Any person who, with intent, commits any offence punishable under this Act against any critical national information infrastructure [...]  shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years without an option of fine," the law states.

Despite these measures, fiber optic vandalism continues. Telecom operator MTN said it suffered 9,218 fiber cuts in 2025, or about 25 per day. That compares with 9,000 incidents in 2024 and 6,000 in 2023.

A drag on digital transformation

Fiber optic vandalism could slow Nigeria’s digital transformation plans, as authorities seek to use ICT to support socio-economic development. The NCC says fiber is the backbone of modern telecommunications, enabling fast internet, clear calls and reliable digital services.

"Unlike traditional copper cables, fibre provides extremely high bandwidth, faster data transmission, and low latency (fewer delays in file transfers). This makes it very useful for carrying out businesses, education, banking, healthcare operations, and other human endeavours," the regulator said. It added that even minor disruptions can lead to major service outages. Depending on the location, a single cut can affect a handful of users, entire neighbourhoods or large regions.

Protecting fiber infrastructure is especially important as the government has launched a roughly $2 billion project to deploy 90,000 km of fiber across the country. The project is already 60% complete, according to Communications Minister Bosun Tijani. Ultimately, it is expected to improve internet speed and reliability, raise penetration above 70%, and connect millions of homes, businesses, schools and hospitals, particularly in underserved areas.

The initiative is also expected to generate up to 20,000 direct jobs and more than 150,000 indirect jobs, while supporting innovation and growth in Nigeria’s digital economy. Officials estimate it could lift GDP to around $502 billion over the next four years, from $472.62 billion today.

Isaac K. Kassouwi