As the telecom industry grapples with the challenge of how to secure its infrastructure and ensure that
investments in the telecoms space are protected, following the recent Critical National Infrastructure
(CNI) status granted it by the Federal Government, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters
Association (NITRA) has called for an all-stakeholder approach.
NITRA, the umbrella Association for technology reporters in Nigeria, in a statement announcing a joint-
industry forum, being organized in collaboration with the Association of Licensed Telecommunication
Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), noted that mere declaration of the CNII order cannot solely guarantee
infrastructure safety except certain internal and standardisation issues are first resolved by operators,
further disclosed that the forum will bring stakeholders together to address pertinent issues and
questions begging for answers.
Scheduled to hold at CitiHeight Hotel, Ikeja on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, the event, tagged “Industry
Sustainability And CNII Conference 2025 – Way Forward” will gather stakeholders to discuss the
practical way forward, noting that passage of the Bill along will not achieve desired results.
According to the organisers, questions that stakeholders will provide answers to at the event include:
How do we ensure that this law is implemented to the letter?
Are there areas worth looking into once more, or is the Bill perfect as it is?
What are the roles of each stakeholder in the industry – Federal, States, Operators, Consumers,
and other actors?
Are individual telecom companies and service providers keying into the CNNI provisions, and
how?
What are the roles of regulators in ensuring public compliance to the Bill?
How do we ensure security?
What is the place of collaboration?
Publicity: how much of the CNII provisions are the public aware of?
How can we sustain the growth and development of telecommunications in Nigeria?
The Panel Discussion sessions will look into some of the questions arising from industry sustainability
and CNII implementation.
Expected at the event are the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, network
operators, security agencies, regulators, the media, infrastructure companies and decision makers in
private and public firms, among other guests.
According to a statement from NITRA, “It is a known fact that the Critical National Information
Infrastructure (CNII) is crucial to the survivability of a nation, and that the destruction or disruption of
these systems and communication networks would significantly affect the economic strength, image,
defense and security, government capabilities to function, and public health and safety.”
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr.
Gbenga Adebayo, had in a forum stressed the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and
tech-upgraded installation to prevent vandalism and theft.
He highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers, fibre cables and poles; community
resistance to infrastructure projects; unauthorised installation of infrastructure without government
approval; malicious destruction of telecom infrastructure; among other challenges to be curbed.
Chairman of NITRA, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, spoke of the importance of the Industry Sustainability and
CNII Conference, noting that industry stakeholders need to come around a table to broker an
understanding on how to secure telecom infrastructure, standing on FG’s proclamation of CNII.
He noted that with the CNII Bill in place, stakeholders will have to formulate measures to take to
implement the provisions of the Bill and enforce compliance. These he disclosed, will be the outcome of
the forum to be held in Lagos.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, the forum, which will have
other industry Associations also make their inputs, will afford the public opportunity to share their
thoughts, especially as it regards the security of infrastructure in their localities.
