Nigeria has called for a coordinated and multilateral approach by the West African region to jointly protect shared telecommunications infrastructure and diversify connectivity to ensure uninterruptible connections.

Reuben Muoka, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said this in a statement on Sunday following recent undersea cable cuts that challenged connectivity in the West African region.

NCC vice-chairman Aminu Maida said this in a speech at the 21st West Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) annual general meeting, which was held in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Mr Maida said, “The recent submarine cable cuts that resulted in nationwide outages on multiple networks affected 12 African countries. It had raised the urgent need for the subregion to establish a mechanism to protect itself from damage to submarine infrastructure and its attendant impact on the subregion.”

Mr Maida referred to a report by Cloudflare, which indicates that about six countries, including four West African countries, still had outages caused by the submarine cable cuts.

“Securing telecom infrastructure is paramount for fostering foreign direct investment and enhancing investor confidence in the West African sub-region. The reliability and resilience of telecommunications networks are crucial factors that investors consider when evaluating regional opportunities.

“By ensuring the security of these vital assets, we can attract more investment, spur economic growth, and enhance our competitiveness on the global stage,” the NCC boss explained.

He added, “A secure telecoms infrastructure not only facilitates efficient communication and connectivity but also signals a commitment to safeguarding critical assets essential for business operations. This assurance can significantly boost investor confidence and create a conducive environment for sustainable economic development.

“The impact of events like cable cuts highlights the need for a coordinated, multilateral approach to protecting shared infrastructure across our member nations.”

Mr Maida also proposed the urgent need to set up a framework for joint monitoring, risk mitigation, and emergency response procedures for the submarine cables that pass through the sub-region.

He also mentioned that the working group’s goals would be to strengthen subregional infrastructure resilience, promote the diversification of the subregion’s connectivity, and conduct regular capacity assessments.

The statement explained that the working group would facilitate the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure in member countries.

(NAN)