Vandals that target Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) would not get away with it, according to the country’s authorities, as stated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
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Dr. Aminu Maida, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), informed reporters of this during a Thursday media interaction in Abuja.
To safeguard these vital systems from cyberattacks and other interruptions, President Bola Tinubu signed the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order 2024.
According to Mrs. Nnena Ukoha, Deputy Director and Head of Corporate Communications Management in the Public Affairs Department, who represented Maida, the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Act includes provisions for prosecution. The Office of the National Security Adviser is responsible for the operationalisation of CNII.
“From this point on, anyone discovered responsible for harming or interfering with CNII will face prosecution,” he said. Together with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies, we are addressing these issues and bringing those responsible to justice.
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He went on to say, “Roughly two years ago, we became aware of a problem wherein a few of our critical telecom operators were registering enormous losses.”
They were battling high forex-related obligations that ate into their income, even while revenues were expanding. The result was subpar service quality.
His main argument was that these operators are once again making money thanks to the tariff adjustment process.
“In turn, this allows them to reinvest in their networks, which ultimately improves service and user experience,” he stated.
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“Compared to the previous two years, we anticipate a substantial increase in investments in the industry this year.
Revenue growth and service delivery show that the Nigerian telecoms business has considerable promise, notwithstanding the current setbacks.
The head of NCC stressed the need for the organisation and other stakeholders to work together and share information in order to solve problems in the telecommunications sector.
Going on to say, “We all know that telecoms infrastructure plays a vital role in national security due to increasing cyber threats and vulnerabilities that can damage and disrupt communication infrastructure,” he elaborated on the importance of telecoms infrastructure to national security.
If we want to keep our nation safe, we need reliable means of communication, and telecommunications are essential for that.
Achieving national security is next to impossible without efficient communication. When it comes to the common good, telecommunications are crucial because they help build a digital society.
“It creates a setting that is conducive to socialisation and service access. People won’t be able to make full use of the services offered unless the telecommunications infrastructure is strong. Furthermore, every sector of the economy requires a stable telecommunication infrastructure.”
Critical national information infrastructure (CNII) consists of interconnected computer systems, networks, and communication systems that are absolutely necessary for the smooth operation of the nation’s economy, public health, and overall safety. A higher standard of service in the telecommunications sector was an earlier campaign pledge of NCC.