Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has warned that weak penalties under Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) policy are undermining efforts to protect telecoms assets.

Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON,  made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos while calling for urgent legal reforms to strengthen enforcement.

Emoekpere said that although offenders are being apprehended and prosecuted, the current framework was failing to serve as a deterrent.

NAN reports that Nigeria’s Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order 2024, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, provides the country’s main legal framework for safeguarding critical Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure against vandalism, sabotage and theft.

The Order, anchored on the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, classifies assets such as telecom towers, fibre-optic cables and data centres as critical national infrastructure requiring enhanced protection.

“People are being caught, but the offences are still treated as petty crimes.

“That limits the impact. CNII needs stronger legal backing such as an Act or executive order to give it more teeth,” the ATCON president said.

He said that the group was actively supporting the implementation of the CNII policy in collaboration with security agencies, stressing that telecom infrastructure remained critical to national security and economic growth.

The ATCON president also reaffirmed support for the Federal Government’s “Project Bridge,” aimed at expanding connectivity across the country, but identified right-of-way approvals across states as a major bottleneck.

According to him, because telcos have to engage multiple states, it is slowing things down but efforts are ongoing to address it.

On service quality, he said operators are struggling to keep pace with rising subscriber numbers and increasing data demand, despite recent tariff adjustments.

“The challenge is not that nothing is being done—investments are ongoing. But demand is growing even faster, and operators are constantly trying to catch up,” he said.

Emoekpere added that subscriber migration between networks and shifting usage patterns are placing additional pressure on certain operators, contributing to service fluctuations.

He, however, assured customers that efforts are ongoing to improve network performance.

“We value our subscribers, and everything is being done not just to maintain, but to improve service delivery,” he said.

The telecommunications sector has consistently identified infrastructure vandalism as a major challenge affecting service delivery and operational costs.

Industry stakeholders say the CNII Order is expected to strengthen the protection of telecom assets and improve quality of service for consumers, following years of rising attacks on infrastructure across the country.

Data from operators show that fibre-optic cable cuts remain one of the biggest threats to telecom operations.

However, in spite of the Order, Nigeria recorded 1,883 fibre cuts in the first quarter of 2026, while between January and August 2025, about 19,384 incidents were reported nationwide, averaging more than 2,400 monthly cases.

MTN Nigeria alone reported 9,218 fibre cuts in 2025, compared with 9,000 in 2024 and 6,000 in 2023, highlighting the increasing scale of the problem.

The sector has also faced widespread theft of generators, batteries and other power assets used to keep telecoms sites operational.

In 2025, criminals reportedly stole 656 critical power assets, including 152 generators and 504 batteries, while telecom operators lost an estimated ₦27 billion nationwide within a 12-month period due to infrastructure damage.

Industry reports further indicated that 577 network outages recorded in the first quarter of 2026 were directly linked to vandalism of telecoms infrastructure.

(NAN)

Unity Bank Plc says it has disbursed over N500 million through its Shop Collateralised Facility (SHOCOF) to support small-scale traders and shop owners across Nigeria.

Unity Bank

The bank said the initiative was part of its efforts to promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and strengthen support for operators in the informal sector.

In a statement, Unity Bank described SHOCOF as an innovative loan product designed to improve access to finance and drive financial inclusion among underserved business owners.

According to the bank, the facility was initially introduced as a targeted intervention for traders in Southeast Nigeria before expanding nationwide following strong acceptance and demand.

Under the initiative, eligible customers are allowed to use their shops as collateral to access credit, eliminating the stringent collateral requirements associated with conventional lending models.

The bank said the product leverages the commercial value and relative stability of fixed business locations to simplify access to financing for traders.

It added that the facility provides working capital support to enable beneficiaries restock goods, increase inventory turnover, improve cash flow, and respond more efficiently to market demands.

Speaking on the impact of the product, Group Head, Risk Management, Unity Bank, Mr Olusegun Oladipo, said the bank developed SHOCOF to address financing challenges faced by businesses in the informal sector.

“SHOCOF was created to address a critical gap within the small business ecosystem by providing access to credit through a structure that traders can satisfactorily meet without much ado.

“By recognising the value and stability embedded in their businesses, we have been able to support traders with the capital required to sustain and grow their operations,” he said.

Also speaking, Divisional Head, SME and Retail Banking, Unity Bank, Mrs Adenike Abimbola, said the expansion of the initiative nationwide reflected the bank’s commitment to providing practical financial solutions for small business owners.

“What started as a targeted intervention in the Southeast quickly gained momentum because the product directly addressed the realities of everyday traders,” she said.

The bank noted that more than 80 per cent of small businesses in Nigeria operate informally, with many relying on personal savings and informal borrowing due to limited access to bank credit.

It said SHOCOF was designed to bridge this financing gap by offering a lending model tailored to the operational realities of market traders and shop owners.

Unity Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting entrepreneurs through targeted financial products, including its Yanga account package developed for female entrepreneurs.

The bank said expanding access to capital for underserved business segments remains critical to boosting trade, strengthening local economies and driving sustainable economic growth.

Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has urged African governments to recognise telecommunications as a core economic pillar and implement specific tax reforms that could dramatically accelerate digital inclusion across the continent.

Mr. Daddy Mukadi, chair of GSMA Africa’s Policy Group, proposed a two-to-three-year exemption on import duties and taxes for entry-level smartphones priced between $40 and $150 to help bridge the usage gap.

He also called for the removal of entry duties on telecommunications equipment for at least three years to support the expansion of network coverage.

“These measures would help deliver inclusive and sustainable digital technology for economic and social progress. They would also support faster connectivity, improved access and the ability to connect more people, businesses and communities to the digital economy,” he said.

Mukadi who is also the chief regulatory officer of Airtel Africa, spoke at the first edition of the États Généraux du Secteur des Postes et Télécommunications in Kinshasa, DRC, an event convened to support the development of a strategic roadmap for the country’s digital and telecommunications sector and attended President Félix Tshisekedi.

He urged government and industry stakeholders to rethink the role of telecommunications in national development, arguing that it should be framed not as a sector specific concern, but as a continent-wide imperative.

“The telecoms sector can no longer be considered merely as a support sector. It is now a core sector. Both are vital, and every other sector, from security and finance to transport and health, depends on digital technology for growth,” Mukadi said.

His remarks come at a critical moment for Africa’s digital economy. According to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa 2025 report, the mobile sector contributed $220 billion to the continent’s economy in 2024.

This is equivalent to 7.7per cent of GDP and is projected to reach $270 billion by 2030. Yet despite mobile networks now covering 95per cent of Africa’s population, nearly 75per cent of people across the continent remain offline.

The GSMA identifies this gap as Africa’s greatest connectivity challenge, driven above all by the unaffordability of devices.

Mukadi therefore called for strategic adjustments to public policy, as well as legal and regulatory frameworks, to support wider access to digital services. He said the telecommunications sector should be treated as a foundational pillar of economic development, with stakeholders working together to accelerate investment, expand coverage and close the usage gap across the continent.

The Chief Regulatory Officer of Airtel Africa also highlighted key barriers to digital inclusion, including the affordability of smartphones and the impact of import duties on telecommunications infrastructure.

He added that government and the private sector must work closely to create a regulatory environment that encourages innovation, protects consumer interests and supports long-term investment.