Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has unveiled plans to lead a worldwide coalition focused on bolstering the protection of undersea cables.
In a Sunday announcement on X (formerly Twitter), the minister highlighted the indispensable role these cables play in the digital economy. Tijani stressed the importance of revisiting international regulations and forging partnerships with regional and global entities to expedite measures in safeguarding this vital infrastructure.
Assuring those impacted by the recent disruptions, Tijani affirmed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was actively collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to promptly address the challenges.
According to him, this initiative signifies a significant stride towards ensuring the resilience and dependability of undersea cables, which serve as lifelines in today’s interconnected world.
Last Thursday, severances in the undersea cable providing broadband Internet connectivity to Nigeria and neighboring West African countries compelled numerous banks, telecom firms, and related enterprises to curtail their operations.
Cable companies such as the West African Cable System and the African Coast to Europe along the West Coast route from Europe have reported faults, while SAT3 and MainOne experienced downtime.
The minister noted that while submarine cable disruptions are disruptive, they are also proving to be catalysts for resilience and growth in the digital economy.
He applauded the telecom giants including Globacom, West Indian Ocean Cable Company, MTN, and MainOne for their remarkable collaboration in mitigating the impacts of these cuts.
Tijani remarked, “I must commend the selflessness shown by the leadership of @GloWorld @WIOCC_ @MTNNG @Mainoneservice and the entire sector in coming together to limit the impact of the cuts. Your actions are helping us all to better prepare for the future.
“This is also an opportunity for us to review international laws and collaborations to adequately protect undersea cables, and I will be engaging regional and global bodies to accelerate efforts on this crucial agenda.
“To those experiencing disruption, please rest assured that @NgComCommission is working with all key stakeholders to resolve the matter in the shortest possible time.”
