The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned that the destruction of telecommunications facilities is undermining the quality of service delivery on digital platforms. Vice Chairman Umar Danbatta made the statement on Thursday at the “Youth, Civil Society, and Stakeholder Summit on Curbing the Destruction and Vandalisation of Telecom and Other Critical National Infrastructure in Nigeria During the Elections,” held in Abuja. Danbatta was represented by Head of Wireless Network Chukwuma Nwauwu.
Danbatta emphasized the NCC’s commitment to protecting the digital space and improving service delivery. He noted that operating telecom companies have reported vandalism of infrastructure, which degrades service quality and limits access to digital platforms. The impacts include network disruptions, disconnection of digital services, congestion on alternative routes, interruptions to social and economic activities, revenue loss, a ripple effect on other networks and equipment, and delays in network recovery.
The vice chairman highlighted that upcoming elections, national programmes, communication with friends and family, and banking activities—especially the use of point‑of‑sale machines—depend on a reliable telecommunications infrastructure. He assured that the NCC will collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election, with results transmitted electronically as required by law. “Technology will play a crucial role in delivering free and fair elections to Nigerians, and we all have a duty to protect the national telecom infrastructure to reap the dividends of democracy and good governance,” he said.
Finally, Danbatta pointed out that telecom subscriptions rose from 206 million active lines in June 2022 to 222 million in December 2022, demonstrating the NCC’s ongoing commitment to expanding the digital economy and improving telecommunications services and infrastructure across the country.
Comments are closed for this story.