Nigerian Communications Commission is pushing for enhanced judicial and legal backing to tackle increasing cybercrime, vandalism of telecom infrastructure, and digital security risks as Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly. JUSTICE OKAMGBA reports
Nigeria’s telecommunications regulators and senior judges are seeking closer coordination between the courts and digital governance agencies as rising cybercrime, online abuse and attacks on telecoms infrastructure threaten Africa’s biggest digital economy.
Data from the NCC showed 656 generators and batteries were stolen in 2025, alongside 1,344 diesel thefts and 49 cases of vandalism and sabotage. Earlier figures also indicated more than 50,000 telecom infrastructure destruction incidents over five years.
Industry estimates suggest the disruption is accelerating, with roughly 1,100 fibre cuts reported weekly this year and 445 vandalism incidents logged within an 88-day period tracked by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria.
At a high-level workshop for judges and justices in Lagos last week, legal and regulatory leaders warned that the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem was creating a new generation of disputes and security risks that require a more technologically informed judiciary, stronger institutional coordination and firmer legal protections for critical infrastructure.
The two-day workshop, jointly organised by the National Judicial Institute and the NCC, brought together Supreme Court justices, appellate judges, high court judges, regulators, security stakeholders and industry experts under the theme ‘Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety’.
The discussions reflected growing concern within government and the telecoms industry over the scale of infrastructure vandalism, cyber-enabled fraud and digital governance disputes emerging as Nigeria deepens broadband penetration and expands its digital economy ambitions.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the judiciary could no longer remain detached from the realities of a society increasingly shaped by digital systems and electronic communications.
“In recent years, the rapid expansion of digital technology and telecommunications has significantly transformed the structure of modern society,” the legal luminary said in an address delivered at the opening ceremony.
“Governance, commerce, financial transactions, education and social interaction now depend substantially on digital connectivity and electronic communications infrastructure.”
She noted that courts were increasingly being required to adjudicate disputes involving cyber-related offences, digital communications, online conduct, privacy violations, infrastructure deployment conflicts and regulatory oversight matters that were previously outside traditional judicial consideration.
“The judiciary cannot remain detached from these developments,” she said. “The law must respond to changing realities while preserving the principles that sustain justice and social order.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun said attacks on communications infrastructure now carry consequences beyond private commercial losses, affecting public services, financial inclusion, governance systems and economic participation.
“Disruptions to communications infrastructure, therefore, carry significant consequences, not only for private entities but also for society as a whole,” she added.
Her remarks come amid persistent concerns from telecom operators over rising incidents of fibre cuts, vandalism, theft of base station equipment and sabotage of telecom facilities across Nigeria – disruptions that have contributed to service outages and rising operating costs in the sector.
The NCC has, in recent months, intensified collaboration with security agencies and infrastructure operators following the federal government’s designation of telecommunications assets as Critical National Information Infrastructure.
In his remarks, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said Nigeria’s accelerating digital transformation had significantly increased pressure on institutions responsible for safeguarding the digital ecosystem.
“The rapid growth of digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, digital literacy, and the adoption of emerging technologies underscores the immense potential of our digital economy to drive innovation and expand opportunities,” Maida said.
He disclosed that Nigerians consumed more than 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026 alone, compared with 995,000 terabytes in March 2025, highlighting the pace at which internet usage and digital dependence are expanding across the country.
“That is about 45,800 terabytes every day,” he said. “Put another way, this is roughly equivalent to Nigerians watching over 15 million hours of high-definition video every single day.”
Broadband penetration, according to him, has also risen from 47.7 per cent last year to 54.3 per cent in 2026, while telecom operators invested more than $1bn in network expansion in 2025 to improve coverage and service quality.
But the NCC chief warned that those gains remain vulnerable to criminal attacks and cyber threats.
“Despite this, we continue to witness disturbing levels of vandalism, fibre cuts, theft of equipment and sabotage that disrupt services for millions of citizens and compromise national security,” Maida said.
He revealed that the NCC was working with security agencies, telecom operators and the Office of the National Security Adviser to combat organised theft and sabotage targeting telecommunications infrastructure.
“Our collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser has recorded some successes, including the disruption of syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment,” he said.
Maida also pointed to the growing threat posed by cybercrime and identity-related fraud linked to telecommunications services, particularly SIM-related financial scams.
To address the challenge, he said the commission had launched the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System, designed to track and mitigate risks associated with SIM card fraud, number recycling and identity abuse.
“This commission has already signed an MoU with the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide the financial services industry with enhanced visibility to effectively combat e-fraud,” he said.
The initiative, according to him, will eventually be expanded to other agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Identity Management Commission, as authorities seek broader inter-agency coordination against cybercrime.
The NCC chief further warned that the explosion in internet access and social media usage had also introduced new governance challenges involving misinformation, online exploitation, hate speech, cybersecurity threats and privacy breaches.
“The commission has strengthened its regulatory frameworks with the review of the Internet Code of Practice, to promote responsible internet governance,” he said.
“Our goal is to strike the right balance between encouraging innovation and investment on one hand and protecting citizens, especially vulnerable groups, on the other.”
Several speakers at the event stressed that courts would increasingly play a defining role in shaping the legal boundaries of Nigeria’s digital economy.
Justice Kekere-Ekun said judicial decisions across other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, India, the European Union and South Africa, had already influenced global conversations around data protection, platform regulation and cyber accountability.
“In Nigeria, the pace of technological expansion makes judicial preparedness particularly important,” she said. “As digital systems become more deeply integrated into everyday life, the courts will continue to confront disputes that require both legal precision and technological awareness.”
She, however, stressed that regulators must also align their actions with judicial interpretation and court rulings.
“In a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, judgements of courts are not merely advisory opinions; they constitute authoritative statements of the law,” she said. “Regulatory actions that evolve in harmony with judicial interpretation promote legal certainty, minimise regulatory conflict, reduce litigation and strengthen public confidence.”
The Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, also warned that the digital era had complicated the balance between freedom of expression, privacy rights and national security concerns.
“Distinguishing between meaningful connection and digital exploitation is becoming increasingly complex,” Adejumo said.
He described the judiciary as the “Guardian of the Constitution and Custodian of the Rule of Law”, adding that judges now require a deeper understanding of telecommunications systems and emerging technologies to effectively interpret evolving legislation.
“The Bench plays a pivotal role in harmonising the right to freedom of expression with the competing demands of privacy and security,” he said.
Adejumo also called for stronger inter-agency cooperation to address infrastructure vandalism, fibre-optic damage and risks associated with emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things and over-the-top digital services.
“Establishing a resilient and secure digital framework is, ultimately, a shared endeavour,” he said.
