Nigeria has recorded a significant number of fibre-optic cable cuts in the first six months of 2026. According to reports, a total of 5,934 incidents were recorded, with an average of 65 incidents daily. This has raised concerns over the impact on networks supporting critical national services such as banking, emergency communications, government services, and businesses. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has described communications infrastructure as a critical national lifeline.
The repeated damage to telecommunications infrastructure has imposed significant direct costs on the industry. Operators spent N2.2 billion on direct repairs resulting from fibre cuts in the first half of 2026. This figure excludes revenue lost during outages and capital diverted from network expansion to emergency repairs. The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, disclosed this information, highlighting the financial burden on operators.
The impact of fibre damage extends beyond the telecommunications sector, affecting various aspects of national life. According to the Director of Critical National Security and Infrastructure Protection at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Effiom Ewa, damage to fibre infrastructure affects governance, economic productivity, public services, and the daily lives of Nigerians. The Federal Government’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) framework covers telecommunications networks, base stations, fibre-optic cables, and other ICT facilities.
The NCC has identified security as one of the critical functions supported by communications infrastructure. The involvement of the ONSA in fibre-protection efforts places telecommunications infrastructure within the wider national security and critical-infrastructure framework. The NCC’s Emergency Communications Centres, designed to connect people in distress with response agencies, depend on the same communications infrastructure that carries ordinary calls and data.
The financial system is also affected by telecommunications disruptions. Central Bank of Nigeria data showed that electronic payment transactions through six major channels were valued at N1.053 quadrillion in the first quarter of 2026. The operation of several of these channels requires communications connectivity between customers, merchants, banks, payment processors, and other financial institutions. A fibre or network disruption can affect POS terminals, mobile banking applications, and online payments.
Emergency response services, including the 112 national emergency number, rely on telecommunications infrastructure. The NCC currently has 31 Emergency Communications Centres operational across the six geopolitical zones, with efforts continuing to activate the remaining five centres. A network disruption can affect the ability of citizens to contact emergency responders and the ability of response agencies to communicate.
The NCC and ONSA are working to address the issue of fibre damage and protect telecommunications infrastructure. A workshop on the protection of fibre-optic cables during road construction was held in Abuja, highlighting the need for collaboration to prevent damage to critical national infrastructure. The NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, emphasized the effect of a damaged fibre cable, which can mean failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services, and missed opportunities.
Key points
- Nigeria recorded 5,934 fibre-optic cable cuts in the first six months of 2026.
- Operators spent N2.2 billion on direct repairs resulting from fibre cuts in the first half of 2026.
- The damage to fibre infrastructure affects governance, economic productivity, public services, and the daily lives of Nigerians.
