NCC Detects Over 5,000 Fibre Cuts in H1 2026
Fibre cuts linked to roadworks are disrupting Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, prompting the NCC to demand stronger coordination among key stakeholders.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reported more than 5,000 fibre-optic cable cuts in the first half of 2026, mainly resulting from road construction, excavation, and related civil works across the country.
Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Aminu Maida, revealed the figure at a stakeholders’ workshop on fibre-optic cable protection held at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja. Maida recalled a similar incident in 2024 which caused an almost nationwide disruption for one telecom operator, affecting millions of users for hours and putting extra pressure on other networks.
He called on road construction companies, contractors, engineers, and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination and adopt preventive measures to protect fibre-optic cables during infrastructure projects. Maida warned that Nigeria’s drive to expand physical infrastructure must not undermine the digital infrastructure essential for connecting citizens to information, services, markets, and opportunities.
“Communications infrastructure is now a critical national lifeline,” Maida said, noting its role in banking, government services, education, healthcare, commerce, security, and emergency communications. He stressed that fibre damage can disrupt vital services and impose significant costs on citizens and the broader economy.
“To a machine operator on a construction site, it may appear to be one buried cable. To the nation, it can mean failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services, and missed opportunities,” he explained, highlighting the far-reaching impact of fibre cuts on individuals, businesses, and public institutions.
Maida emphasised the need for early and dependable coordination among all stakeholders. “Our central message is simple: Nigeria must build the roads that connect our communities while protecting the fibre networks that connect our economy. We need both forms of infrastructure, and we need them to work together,” he said.
He acknowledged that the issue was not about assigning blame, stressing that no road contractor deliberately seeks to disconnect a community, just as telecom operators do not intend to obstruct road works. However, coordination is essential.
To address this, the Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy have inaugurated a Standing Committee on the Protection of Fibre Optic Cables. The committee—now expanded to include the Office of the National Security Adviser—will develop practical coordination mechanisms for before, during, and after road works. The inclusion reflects the security implications of protecting telecom infrastructure, now designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure and subject to appropriate legal, regulatory, and remedial measures for damage.
Maida urged operators, contractors, government agencies, regulators, and security agencies to play active roles in preventing fibre damage, making coordination integral to project planning and execution.
The workshop is part of ongoing efforts by the NCC and stakeholders to institutionalise coordination mechanisms, safeguard telecom infrastructure, minimise service disruptions, and support Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda. It is expected to culminate in a national framework for the protection of fibre optic infrastructure during road construction and excavation activities.
