NCC urges state govts to adopt Edo model for protecting telecom infrastructure

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on state governments to prioritise the protection of telecommunications infrastructure as part of efforts to improve service quality and safeguard Nigeria’s digital economy.

The executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the call during a media breakfast meeting in Abuja, urging states to emulate Edo’s model of coordinating with telecom operators before commencing road construction and other public works.

According to Maida, Edo has significantly reduced fibre cable cuts by requiring contractors to notify the commission and mobile network operators before breaking ground.

He described the arrangement as a simple but highly effective measure that other states should replicate immediately.

“Their contractors, before starting any work, send letters to the commission to inform all telecom service providers who own infrastructure and give them notice of work. That simple action has resulted in a significant decrease in incidents caused by construction activities,” the NCC chief said.

Maida noted that vandalism, sabotage and accidental fibre cuts remain major threats to service delivery, stressing that telecom infrastructure must be treated as critical national assets.

On service quality, Maida said operators were recording measurable improvements, driven by massive investment in network upgrades across the country.

He disclosed that more than 2,800 telecom sites were upgraded last year by major operators, including MTN, Airtel and Globacom, covering new sites, fibre expansion and migration from older 2G and 3G services to 4G and 5G technologies.

The commission has set a target of 12,000 site upgrades for 2026.

Consumer complaints dropped sharply from 351,000 in January 2025 to 76,000 in January 2026, even as data usage rose by more than 170 per cent over the same period.

The NCC has also introduced a compensation directive requiring operators to directly reimburse subscribers affected by poor service delivery, a departure from the previous practice of directing all fines to government coffers.

“Those who actually suffer poor service should also get back some value,” Maida said.

The commission additionally announced a new cybersecurity framework setting minimum standards for telecom operators, beginning with critical infrastructure providers, and said it was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser to tackle cybercrime and digital fraud.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

See author's posts