By Ayomide Otitoju
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecom operator, has spent N11.1 billion repairing and relocating 2,502km of fibre-optic cables over two years, according to the latest GSMA Nigeria Digital Economy Report.
The report highlights that if these funds had been allocated to network expansion rather than maintenance, MTN—serving 77 million subscribers—could have deployed an additional 870km of fibre infrastructure.
Rising Costs of Fibre Repairs
Breakdown of MTN’s fibre repair expenses over the last two years:
2022: N4.4 billion spent on repairing 1,069km of fibre.
2023: N6.7 billion spent on fixing 1,433km of fibre.
The damages were attributed to construction activities, road projects, and vandalism, significantly affecting network expansion efforts and diverting resources from improving connectivity in underserved areas.
The report states:
“As a result, fibre networks in Nigeria are more expensive to build and maintain than they otherwise would be. These costs are substantial.”
Telecom Sector Faces Challenges from Vandalism
Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA, told The PUNCH during a media call on Friday:
“Vandalism and other forms of damage have been causing significant losses to the sector. In some cases, the affected areas are easily accessible and can be quickly repaired. However, the damage has resulted in sustained complaints from consumers about service availability.”
Fibre-optic cables are critical infrastructure for telecom connectivity, as they enhance network capacity and improve broadband access. However, recurrent cable cuts have slowed progress, increasing operational costs for telecom operators.
As of 2023, Nigeria had 78,676km of fibre-optic cable deployed, primarily concentrated in urban regions such as:
Lagos – 7,864.60km
Edo – 4,892.71km
FCT (Abuja) – 4,472.03km
Ogun – 4,189.18km
Niger – 3,681.66km
Policy Interventions and Protection of Telecom Infrastructure
To address the issue, telcos have adopted new strategies, including reinforcing cables and increasing maintenance budgets. However, these measures have significantly raised the overall cost of telecom infrastructure in Nigeria.
In August 2024, the federal government issued an official gazette, the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024, which criminalizes willful damage to telecom assets, including:
Telco towers
Fibre-optic cables
Data centres
Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani emphasized that the proposed legislation, if passed, would provide legal protection for telecom infrastructure, mitigating damage and reducing financial strain on operators.
However, the bill remains under consideration, with industry experts warning that continued policy delays could hinder broadband expansion, affecting both businesses and consumers relying on stable connectivity.
