August 14, (THEWILL) – The advocacy for telecom infrastructure protection across the country by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has received the attention of stakeholders across all strata of the society.
Among the numerous calls by stakeholders, in respect of telecom infrastructure protection, is that made by the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, who has urged every citizen in Nigeria to take responsibility for the protection of telecom facilities for mutual benefit of all.
The traditional ruler, who spoke through the Ayingun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ademola Odunade, at the Village Square Dialogue (VSD) of NCC at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan recently, advised the Nigerian public “to support NCC to achieve its objectives of protecting telecoms consumer because this should be seen as a collective responsibility.”
The event, which was presided over by the Chairman of the Board of the NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, was designed to discuss one of the most important issues affecting the operations of the telecom industry – the protection of telecoms infrastructure to guarantee improved quality of service for benefits of businesses and the consumers.
Akande, in his address to guests at the forum that witnessed large turnout of traditional rulers, representatives of telecom operators and consumers, asked the consumers and other stakeholders to join hands in protecting telecoms infrastructure in their communities to ensure sustained connectivity.
Akande said the objective of the consumer engagement was “to explore how we can all protect telecom infrastructure to continue to provide us with life-supporting services and we are happy to bring this programme to Oyo State to really sensitise telecom consumers and other critical stakeholders in this regard.”
Prof Akande noted that without telecom infrastructure, it will be difficult to communicate with family and friends over long distances while conducting banking, insurance, or access government services, education, entertainment and other essentials of life.
“This means that telecom infrastructure is important, and we must all ensure that we guard and protect this Critical National Infrastructure,” Akande said.
He also listed such destabilising situations in the telecom sector to include the negative attitudes and actions of hostile communities; theft of diesel, batteries and power generators from base stations; digging up and cutting of fibre optic cables; sealing/locking up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites and other disruptive activities which must be tackled decisively.
Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, Efosa Idehen, who commended the consumers from the Ibadan axis for turning out in numbers, pledged the Commission’s commitment towards the care of the consumers. Idehen stated that NCC has the responsibility to protect, inform and educate the million of telecom consumers in the country.
“Therefore, part of activities to deliver on this mandate is this type of programme holding in Ibadan today. We value your feedback on all kinds of services you receive in the telecoms sector but most importantly, we implore you to join hands in protecting telecom infrastructure in your areas,” he said.
Idehen advised members of the public to report any suspected cases of threats to telecoms infrastructure to law enforcement agents in their areas for necessary interventions. He reminded them that they can call toll-free numbers 112 in cases of emergencies or 622 to report complaints bordering on telecommunications services to the NCC.
However, the issue of telecom infrastructure is very critical, particularly in the South West. For instance, telecommunication services in the two South-Western States of Lagos and Ogun, and Rivers State are better than that of other states in the country.
This is because these three states had the largest concentration of telecommunications towers installed in Nigeria as of December 2021.
According to the industry data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), these three states accounted for 21 per cent of telecom infrastructure installed in the country, which stood at 49,579.
Meanwhile, countries across the globe now consider telecoms infrastructure as national assets. From China to India, down to the United States, countries impose strict sanctions on individuals who destroy such assets.
Nigeria had a total of 303.64 million connected telephone lines in February 2022, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.
About 197.77 million of these lines were in active use, according to the commission. GSMA, the global association for telecommunication companies, said Nigeria had 97.5 million unique mobile subscribers as of September 2018.
Experts have said that the role of telecoms in the day-to-day lives of Nigerians has grown drastically since it was launched in 2001. According to them, every sector of the economy leveraged on a form of telecoms service today, making it an important infrastructure.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
