Nigeria’s fibre-optic infrastructure is facing an alarming rate of damage, with frequent cuts caused by road construction, excavation, vandalism and other activities threatening the country’s digital economy.
The Nigerian Communications Commission said more than 5,000 fibre-cut incidents linked to road construction, excavation and related civil works were recorded in the first six months of 2026.
The wider industry situation is even more disturbing. Data from the NCC, as reported by Nigerian Communications Week, showed that telecom operators recorded 155,397 fibre-cut incidents in April and May alone. More than 54,000 of the incidents were attributed to vandalism.
The figures highlight the growing cost of poor infrastructure planning and inadequate protection of critical telecommunications facilities.
Every fibre cut can disrupt banking transactions, POS payments, business communications, hospital services, online classes, government platforms and internet access.
The widespread network disruption experienced in February 2024, when multiple fibre cuts affected MTN services and left millions of subscribers without connectivity for hours, showed how damage to one part of the network can have consequences across the wider telecommunications ecosystem.
Traffic shifted to other networks during the disruption, causing congestion and further demonstrating the interconnected nature of the country’s digital infrastructure.
Fibre infrastructure is also vulnerable to vandalism and criminal attacks. Some cables are reportedly damaged by people who mistakenly believe they contain valuable materials, while deliberate attacks can also create communication blackouts, particularly in areas affected by insecurity.
MTN alone recorded more than 5,400 fibre cuts in the first seven months of 2025, with road construction and vandalism among the leading causes.
Poor Coordination at the Root
A major challenge is the lack of coordination in the planning and execution of infrastructure projects.
Roads, drainage systems, water pipelines, electricity networks, gas pipelines and telecommunications infrastructure are often developed independently, with insufficient information about existing underground facilities.
This creates a situation where contractors can begin excavation without knowing the precise location of fibre routes.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, has said many of the more than 5,000 road-related fibre cuts recorded in the first half of 2026 resulted from inadequate coordination before construction commenced.
The development is a clear indication of a planning problem that requires urgent attention.
Nigeria needs a unified system for mapping underground infrastructure, mandatory surveys before excavation and clearly marked utility corridors.
The principle should be simple: before any contractor digs, the location of existing infrastructure must be known and properly marked.
Billions Lost to Repairs
The financial consequences are significant.
The GSMA reported that MTN Nigeria spent N11.1 billion in 2022 and 2023 repairing and relocating 2,502 kilometres of fibre. Industry analysts said the same amount could have financed about 870 kilometres of new fibre infrastructure.
Industry estimates have put the broader cost of fibre-related repairs and lost revenue at about N27 billion in 2023, with more recent estimates placing the combined annual cost of repairs, lost revenue and operational disruptions as high as N35.4 billion.
Such expenditure represents resources that could otherwise be used to expand network coverage, improve connectivity and reach underserved communities.
The economic stakes are enormous. The GSMA’s Nigeria Digital Economy Report estimated that the mobile telecommunications sector contributed about N33 trillion to the Nigerian economy in 2023.
The report also projected that increased digitalisation across agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, trade and government could add about two percentage points to GDP by 2028, create two million jobs and generate N1.6 trillion in additional tax revenue.
Every damaged fibre therefore represents more than a repair bill; it is a disruption to the infrastructure supporting economic activity.
Protecting New Investments
The Federal Government is simultaneously investing heavily in expanding fibre infrastructure.
Project BRIDGE is expected to deploy at least 90,000 kilometres of fibre across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, connecting all 774 local government areas.
The project has attracted funding of $500 million from the World Bank, $200 million from the African Development Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
It would be counterproductive to invest billions of dollars in expanding fibre networks while allowing poor planning, vandalism and inadequate coordination to repeatedly destroy the infrastructure.
Nigeria should also adopt the “dig once” principle. Where major roads and other infrastructure are being constructed, ducts capable of carrying telecommunications cables should be installed as part of the project.
This would reduce the need for repeated excavation and significantly lower the risk of fibre damage.
Right-of-Way Charges
The cost of deploying fibre is also affected by inconsistent Right-of-Way charges imposed by states.
The National Economic Council’s harmonised benchmark for broadband Right of Way is N145 per linear metre, but some states continue to charge significantly higher rates.
In 2025, Lagos was reportedly charging N6,264 per metre, Ogun N9,477 and Oyo N5,303.
Such variations can increase deployment costs and discourage investment in broadband infrastructure.
A coordinated national approach to Right-of-Way charges would help create a more predictable environment for telecommunications investment.
Stronger Enforcement Needed
Telecommunications operators are increasingly investing in technologies and measures to protect their networks.
MTN, for instance, has considered AI-enabled fibre-monitoring technology capable of detecting vibrations around cables, identifying possible causes and alerting response teams before damage occurs.
Operators are also investing in alternative routes, network redundancy and stronger protection for vulnerable cables.
However, these measures should complement—not replace—proper infrastructure planning.
Nigeria must also enforce existing laws protecting telecommunications infrastructure.
The 2024 Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order places telecommunications infrastructure within the country’s critical national information infrastructure framework and provides protection against unauthorised access, theft, vandalism, destruction and unlawful interference.
What is needed now is effective enforcement.
Construction companies should be required to obtain and verify underground utility maps before excavation. Contractors and supervising engineers whose negligence results in fibre damage should face appropriate sanctions.
Vandalism should also attract stronger prosecution and penalties.
Government agencies must coordinate infrastructure projects, while critical infrastructure protection protocols should be mandatory for major road and civil works.
The NCC’s establishment of a standing committee involving the Ministries of Works and Communications, with participation from the Office of the National Security Adviser, is a step in the right direction.
However, Nigeria needs more than committees and policy statements. It needs implementation.
Fibre-optic infrastructure is now fundamental to the modern economy. Nigeria cannot build a digital future while repeatedly destroying the cables that keep that future connected.
