The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on road construction companies, contractors, engineers and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination and adopt preventive measures to protect fibre-optic cables during road construction, rehabilitation and other civil works across the country.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the call August 11, 2026, at a stakeholders’ workshop on the protection of fibre-optic cables held at the National Counter- Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja stressing that the nation’s drive to expand physical infrastructure must not undermine the digital infrastructure connecting Nigerians to information, services, markets and opportunities.
According to the EVC, communications infrastructure has become a critical national lifeline, underpinning banking, government services, education, healthcare, commerce, security and emergency communications. He noted that damage to fibre infrastructure could disrupt essential services and impose significant costs on citizens and the wider economy.
“To a machine operator on a construction site, it may appear to be one buried cable. To the nation, it can mean failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services and missed opportunities,” Maida said, highlighting the far-reaching impact of fibre cuts on individuals, businesses and public institutions.
The EVC urged operators, contractors, government agencies, regulators and security agencies to play their respective roles in preventing fibre damage, stressing that coordination must become an integral part of the planning and execution of relevant projects.
