Telecoms Infrastructure Vandals in Trouble as President Tinubu Signs CNI Bill into Law

Federal Government has finally signed the ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024.’

Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Wednesday.

Via his X handle, Tijani said, “I would like to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the release of the official gazette, ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024.’”

According to him, this is a significant step that will strengthen and protect investments in the ICT sector by reducing incidences capable of damaging the operations and functionality of our technological systems, infrastructure and networks.

The minister noted that the security and protection of these Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is a priority for this administration and will help improve the quality of telecoms services, which has very often been affected by disruption and intentional damage.

He said this gazette now makes it an offence to purposefully damage assets such as telco towers/sites, switch stations, data centres, satellite infrastructure, submarine and fibre optic cables, transmission equipment, e-government platforms, and databases, among many others.

Checks showed that this development is coming over two decades after the telecoms revolution began in Nigeria. Also, the bill has been put up for consideration since the seventh senate administration.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said the industry is pleased with the news.

Appreciating President Tinubu, Minister Tijani and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, Adebayo said the bill will support and protect critical national infrastructure, “whether from willful damage and agents shutting down the sites on the account of IGR drive and collection, that will stop.”

According to him, it means there are consequences for certain actions that impact service delivery. He said the development came at a very good time, especially as the talks for industry sustainability have become a major discussion in the country.

The ALTON chairman said people, who damaged communications infrastructure without consequences will now face consequences for their actions. “It will be a major deterrence for people, who are against the will of progress and largely, money spent on repairs of vandalised infrastructure by telcos can now be deployed into network expansion and stability.”