The Federal Government has established a Joint Standing Committee on the Protection of Fibre Optic Cables to tackle the persistent issue of fibre cuts caused by road construction and rehabilitation activities.
The committee, set up by the Federal Ministry of Works (FMoW) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy (FMoCIDE), aims to reduce disruptions to Nigeria’s telecommunications network.
Inaugurated on February 18, 2025, by Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi (Permanent Secretary, FMoW) and Engr. Farouk Yusuf (Permanent Secretary, FMoCIDE), the committee includes key officials from both ministries and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The team will coordinate efforts between telecom operators and road construction firms to prevent fibre cuts, which have led to severe service disruptions.
Speaking at the inauguration, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, revealed that over 50,000 fibre cuts were recorded in 2024, with 30,000 linked to roadworks.
Some incidents, including the February 2024 nationwide MTN outage, were attributed to these disruptions.
Dr. Maida emphasized that better coordination could reduce outages, lower repair costs, and improve service reliability, allowing telecom companies to focus on expanding Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure.
The committee will establish clear communication protocols between government agencies, telecom operators, and construction companies. Measures include:
✔ Planning fibre placement in road designs
✔ Setting up instant communication channels for rapid response
✔ Regular performance reports and industry-wide solutions
The initiative is expected to enhance connectivity, protect critical digital infrastructure, and improve broadband services for millions of Nigerians.
