Telecom
Telecom Experts Call for Action to Combat Vandalism and Protect Nigeria’s Critical Infrastructure
Industry leaders have identified important measures to secure telecommunications infrastructures in the country and ensure that investments in the telecoms space are protected.
L-r: Associate Director, Government Relations, IHS Nigeria, Bond Abbe; Co-founder, Infratel Africa, Dr. Tola Yusuf; Group Chief Operating Officer, WTES Projects Limited, Chidi Ajuzie; President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere; National Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); Engr. Gbenga Adebayo; and Convener, Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo), Omobayo Azeez at the seventh edition of PIAFo on Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order Implementation held on Thursday in Lagos.
They argued that as much as the effective implementation of the Executive Order on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is important, the Order cannot solely guarantee infrastructure safety except certain internal and standardisation issues are first resolved by operators.
Speaking at the 7th Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) Summit on CNII implementation held Thursday in Lagos, the industry leaders highlighted pressing issues such as infrastructure vandalism, unauthorized installations, and cable theft, while proposing actionable solutions to safeguard the country’s critical national infrastructure.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), stressed the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and installation to prevent vandalism and theft.
He highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers and poles, attributing the problem to poor maintenance practices. “When properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft,” he said.
Adebayo also pointed out that community resistance to infrastructure projects has significantly hindered progress. He recounted instances where local communities prevented trucks from accessing sites due to previous unaddressed damages caused by contractors.
“A diesel supplier was blocked from entering an estate because a previous contractor had damaged their property and failed to make repairs. This lack of accountability breeds distrust and delays crucial projects,” he explained.
He urged stakeholders to foster better relationships with communities to prevent such conflicts.
Another critical issue Adebayo identified was the unauthorized installation of infrastructure without government approval, leading to inadvertent damage during road construction projects.
“Government agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records. Proper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure,” he noted.
He called for improved industry coordination to resolve these challenges internally before seeking external solutions that are promised by the CNII provisions.
Echoing these concerns, Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), emphasised the need for standardisation and better coordination among stakeholders.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.
“We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions,” he explained.
Emoekpere argued that standardisation is the key to long-term sustainability. “If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector, and the public—can align with,” he stated.
He also emphasized that Nigeria has strong policies, such as local content policies, but implementation remains a major challenge. “We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement,” he added.
The importance of addressing cable theft and vandalism was further stressed by Wale Owoeye, CEO of Cedarview Communications Limited.
He described the alarming frequency of cable cuts, which disrupt network operations and drive up maintenance costs.
“Cable theft is a serious issue. Airtel representatives told me they experience a cable cut every six minutes. The assumption that all black cables contain valuable copper leads to reckless vandalism,” he explained.
To combat this growing problem, Owoeye proposed three key approaches, including reorientation, enforcement, and proactive measures.
“We need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism. Strict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for preventive strategies rather than reactive responses. “Prevention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration,” he noted.
As a proactive measure, Owoeye proposed the creation of a dedicated fund to support advocacy and awareness campaigns across Nigeria.
To demonstrate his commitment, he pledged to contribute N500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and encouraged other industry players to follow suit.
“This is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution for protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure,” he said.
The speakers collectively emphasised that addressing these challenges requires collaboration among industry players, government agencies, and local communities.
They called for a concerted effort to enforce policies, engage stakeholders, and implement practical solutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunication infrastructure.
Telecom
Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria Achieves Historic 1 Terabit Per Second Local Internet Traffic Milestone
IXPN, Nigeria’s leading Internet Exchange Point, is proud to announce a landmark achievement: crossing 1 Terabit per second (1Tbps) in aggregate peak domestic internet traffic for the first time.
This milestone signifies a major leap forward in developing Nigeria’s internet infrastructure and underscores the critical role of local internet infrastructure in driving economic growth, innovation, and connectivity for millions of Nigerians.
“This milestone is more than just a number. It’s a symbol of Nigeria’s digital maturity and our united strides towards becoming a tech-driven nation. By keeping local internet traffic within Nigeria, we reduce costs, improve speeds, and ensure our digital economy thrives with homegrown infrastructure.” said Muhammed Rudman the CEO of IXPN.
“Achieving 1 Tbps is a significant victory for Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem, a breakthrough for domestic internet traffic. It serves as a catalyst, enabling millions of Nigerians to enjoy faster, more affordable, and resilient internet connectivity.”
1 Terabit per second is a game-changer for Africa’s most populous country. To put it in perspective:
- Mega Video Calls: A speed of 1 Tbps can support over 1 million concurrent Zoom calls, allowing students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to connect and drive Nigeria’s digital revolution.
- Streaming Frenzy: With 1 Tbps, more than 200,000 people can stream HD Nollywood films or movies on Netflix simultaneously without any buffering or interruptions.
- Data Superpower: This speed enables the transfer of the entire contents of 50,000 smartphones—including photos, apps, and videos—in just one second.
For Nigeria, hitting this milestone means reducing reliance on international bandwidth, decreasing latency for local services, and strengthening our position as Africa’s digital heartbeat. This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a faster, more connected Nigeria.
This accomplishment goes beyond technical advancements; it has significant economic implications. By encouraging local traffic exchange, IXPN reduces dependency on international bandwidth, leading to:
- Significant Cost Savings: By utilizing local data exchange, Nigerian businesses can save millions of dollars annually on international bandwidth fees.
- Enhanced Speed and Connectivity: With reduced latency, users experience smoother streaming, gaming, and real-time services, enhancing their overall online experience.
- Increased Resilience: Strengthening Nigeria’s internet infrastructure protects against global disruptions, ensuring consistent access to vital services such as healthcare and education.
- Improved Efficiency: Optimizes digital services like fintech, edtech, e-commerce, and e-health, propelling innovation and growth in these sectors.
Surveys conducted among IXPN members over the years have shown a growing percentage of local internet traffic in Nigeria. A recent report indicates that some connected members can localize or domesticate up to 70% of their internet traffic through IXPN.
“As more content providers, ISPs, banks, and public institutions localize their traffic through the IXP, end users benefit directly,” added Raphael Iloka (Marketing Manager). “We’re not just routing data — we’re building the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy.”
The 1 Tbps peak highlights the remarkable impact of collaboration among all stakeholders. This milestone is a significant achievement not only for IXPN, but for the entire ICT ecosystem. IXPN deeply appreciates the vital contributions of all stakeholders involved.
To our Members and Partners: Your trust and participation have been essential to our growth. Together, we have established a hub where networks can interconnect, innovate, and thrive.
To the Government and Regulators: We express our sincere appreciation to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for all its support over the years and its vision of a digitally inclusive Nigeria.
To our Team: We extend our gratitude to our engineers, network administrators, and all other staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to push boundaries.
To the Global Community: We are grateful to partner organizations like the Internet Society (ISOC). Your support and advocacy in domestic peering empower us all.
Reaching 1 Tbps is just the beginning. As data demands skyrocket with AI, IoT, 5G, and immersive technologies, IXPN is committed to staying ahead of the curve. Here’s how:
- Scaling Infrastructure: We are investing in advanced hardware and software to support multi-terabit capacities.
- Enhancing Resilience: We are strengthening our network to ensure uptime, security, and adaptability in an ever-changing digital landscape.
- Empowering Underserved Communities: We aim to expand our reach to rural areas, bridging the digital divide, and supporting agritech, edtech, and telehealth.
- Strengthening Africa’s Digital Sovereignty: Partnering with regional IXPs to keep Africa’s data on the continent.
On April 17, 2025, the atmosphere at Yudala Heights was electric with pride, hope, and inspiration as TD Africa, the leading tech distribution company in Sub-Saharan Africa, celebrated the graduation of 400 young Nigerian women from its flagship TecHERdemy program.
Over the past six months, these incredible women immersed themselves in rigorous, hands-on training in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Software Development. They are now confidently stepping into the tech world, ready to make their mark.
The event brought together top voices in the industry, including Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of the Zinox Group, who commended the graduates for their resilience and brilliance. In his keynote speech, he shared a hopeful vision for Africa’s future, calling these young women “the pioneers of a new, inclusive era of tech leadership on the continent.”
Mrs. Chioma Ekeh, CEO of TD Africa, also delivered a heartfelt message, urging the graduates to let their values guide them as they navigate their careers.
“Hold tightly to your values. Let integrity guide your work, let innovation fuel your dreams, and let your impact speak louder than your résumé,” she encouraged.
The ceremony was filled with emotion as graduates shared their personal stories of transformation. One of them, Yetunde Kayode, now a certified data scientist, summed it up beautifully: “This program changed my life. I’m walking away empowered, skilled, and deeply grateful to Mrs. Ekeh and the TecHERdemy team for believing in us.”
Fifteen exceptional participants were also honoured for their outstanding performance and leadership during the program, reminding everyone that excellence comes in many forms.
TecHERdemy, which launched in November 2024, was built with a simple but powerful mission: to equip young Nigerian women with globally relevant digital skills and open doors to a tech career. But what happened over those six months went beyond just skills; it sparked a movement.
This graduation wasn’t just the end of a program. It was the beginning of a brighter, more inclusive future for tech in Africa.
Mart Networks, a leading cybersecurity distributor in Africa and Middle East, today announced the launch of Invinsense 6.0, the latest version of its flagship cybersecurity platform.
With this release, Infopercept integrates Agentic AI across its offensive, defensive, and compliance modules, creating autonomous and intelligent systems capable of dynamically building and executing workflows for critical cybersecurity decisions.
The platform’s AI agents interpret tasks, make real-time decisions, and continuously adapt workflows based on live data—across Invinsense XDR (Extended Detection and Response), Invinsense OXDR (Threat Exposure Management), and Invinsense GSOS (Compliance Platform).
Invinsense 6.0 marks a significant step forward in enabling security leaders to adopt AI-powered strategies across three fundamental cybersecurity pillars: offense, defense, and compliance. Here’s what’s new:
1. Invinsense XDR – AI-Enabled Detection and Response
Infopercept’s Extended Detection and Response solution now incorporates Agentic AI, boosting its detection and response capabilities through:
- AI Triage Agent – Groups and enriches threat alerts for streamlined analysis.
- AI Threat Hunting Agent – Investigates incidents in-depth to uncover hidden threats and indicators.
- AI Response Agent – Makes autonomous decisions to neutralize threats in real time.
- AI Chatbot – Provides end-user assistance modeled on SOC analyst expertise.
2. Invinsense OXDR – AI-Powered Exposure Management
Enhanced with agentic AI, OXDR delivers end-to-end exposure discovery, prioritization, and remediation:
- Attack Surface Monitoring – An AI agent autonomously discovers and prioritizes exposed assets in real-time, adapting to evolving risks and triggering remediation suggestions.
- Vulnerability Management – Uses contextual risk analysis to triage and prioritize vulnerabilities, automatically initiating appropriate remediation workflows.
3. Invinsense GSOS – AI-Driven Compliance Platform
Infopercept’s compliance module leverages Agentic AI and Large Memory Language (LML) capabilities to:
- Upload and structure security compliance data into a vector database
- Plan, analyze, and act upon gaps across multiple compliance frameworks
- Autonomously identify missing controls and suggest actions to meet regulatory standards
“Since the inception of Infopercept, its mission has been to address cybersecurity holistically—across offensive, defensive, and compliance domains,” said Moiz Maloo, Managing Director, Mart Networks. “Over time, each of these areas has presented its own challenges:
· Defensive security struggles with alert fatigue, missed detections, and slow response times.
· Offensive security lacks clear visibility and prioritization of internal and external exposures.
· Compliance demands are growing daily, with new regulations across geographies and industries.”
“With Agentic AI, Infopercept is building dynamic, intelligent systems that continuously evolve—just like the threats we face. This adaptability is critical in today’s cybersecurity landscape.”
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