Nigerian govt criminalizes damage of telcos towers, other critical infrastructure

The Nigerian Government has signed the ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order’ aimed at protecting critical telecommunications facilities in the country.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Tijani Bosun disclosed this in a statement through his official X handle on Wednesday.

According to him, the gazette makes it an offence to willfully damage assets such as telco towers or sites, switch stations, data centres, satellite infrastructure, submarine and fibre optic cables, transmission equipment, e-government platforms, and databases among many others.

Speaking on the release of the official gazette of the order, Bosun said it would help reduce incidents capable of damaging the “operations and functionality of our technological systems, infrastructure and networks”.

“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”.

He added that the order is “a significant step that will strengthen and protect investments in the ICT sector”

“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.

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

“We will continue to work to create the enabling and supportive environment and policies for our digital economy to thrive”, he stated.

The development comes after the recent vandalism and looting of Digital Innovation Park in Kano State at the instance of the August 1-10 2024 hunger protests.

The Minister had said the destruction cost the country billions of Naira.