By Event Diary Lifestyle
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| L-R: Mr. Adeyemi Adepetu, Deputy Business Editor, Guardian Newspaper; Mr. Mohammed Lawal, General Manager, FTTH, MTN Nigeria; Mr. Adetola Akinmade, Chief Technology Officer, FiberOne; Mr. Egerton Idehen, Chief Broadband Officer, MTN Nigeria; Mr Tony Emoekpere, President, ATCON; Mr. Segun Okuneye, Deputy Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX; Mr. Biodun Omoniyi, MD/CEO, VDT Communications Limited; Prince Oyekanmi Elegushi, GM/CEO, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) and Mr. John Nwachukwu, Chief Strategy & Executive Officer, Zora Communications Limited at the ATCON FTTH Forum which held at the Radisson Blu, Lagos |
Nigeria’s drive to expand high-speed internet access will require stronger collaboration among telecommunications operators, regulators, government agencies and host communities, industry stakeholders have said.
The call was made at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria’s (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH), where industry players examined the challenges confronting fibre deployment and the steps required to build a more reliable and sustainable broadband infrastructure across the country.
The forum, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos, brought together representatives of telecommunications companies, government agencies, infrastructure providers, regulators, industry associations and the media to discuss the future of fibre connectivity in Nigeria.
Leading Nigerian ICT company, ipNX Nigeria, participated in the forum alongside other stakeholders as discussions focused on policies, deployment standards, infrastructure protection and the need for greater coordination across the telecommunications ecosystem.
The forum was themed, “Fibre to the Home in Nigeria: Addressing Challenges, Strengthening Standards and Ensuring Sustainable Deployment.”
Delivering the keynote address virtually, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, described Fibre-to-the-Home as an important component of Nigeria’s digital future.
According to him, the growing demand for data means that the quality and reliability of broadband infrastructure will increasingly influence the competitiveness of businesses, the expansion of the digital economy and the opportunities available to Nigerians.
He also raised concerns about the protection of telecommunications infrastructure, warning that damage to fibre networks could have significant economic consequences.
Maida stressed the need for fibre infrastructure to be properly installed, documented and protected, noting that adherence to deployment standards would be critical as the country expands its broadband network.
The importance of protecting telecommunications infrastructure was also emphasised by the President of ATCON, Tony Emoekpere, who said the country could not achieve meaningful broadband penetration without protecting the infrastructure required to deliver connectivity.
Emoekpere urged members of the public to regard fibre networks with the same level of importance attached to other critical infrastructure.
He compared the situation to electricity infrastructure, arguing that communities would normally raise concerns when power transformers or cables were threatened and should demonstrate similar vigilance when telecommunications infrastructure is being damaged.
The forum also examined how state governments and agencies can help address some of the challenges associated with fibre deployment.
The Director-General of the Oyo State Infrastructure Management and Control Agency, Adebayo Akande, spoke on measures being adopted to tackle fibre theft and vandalism while encouraging infrastructure sharing among operators.
He said the use of common pole infrastructure along shared routes could reduce unnecessary duplication, limit damage to telecommunications infrastructure and improve the appearance of urban areas.
Such an approach, he added, could also help operators optimise investments while making infrastructure deployment more coordinated.
Similarly, the Managing Director of the Edo State Information and Communication Technology Agency, Eghosa Urhoghide, called for stronger cooperation between telecommunications operators, regulators, government institutions, road maintenance agencies and communities hosting telecommunications infrastructure.
He stressed the importance of compliance with NCC deployment standards, noting that consistent implementation would contribute to the long-term resilience of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Representing ipNX at a panel discussion on “Policy, Governance and Regulatory Alignment,” the company’s Deputy Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, Segun Okuneye, said the future of fibre broadband would depend on more than investment in technology.
He identified policy consistency, stakeholder coordination, infrastructure protection and shared responsibility as key requirements for sustainable fibre deployment.
Okuneye said universal fibre connectivity would require operators, regulators, government agencies and host communities to work together, adding that a predictable regulatory environment and proper enforcement of deployment standards would encourage further investment in broadband infrastructure.
He noted that protecting critical infrastructure would also create an environment in which more Nigerians could gain access to reliable, high-speed internet services.
The discussions highlighted several challenges that continue to affect fibre deployment in Nigeria, including vandalism, fibre theft, right-of-way issues, inconsistent deployment practices, duplication of infrastructure and limited public awareness about the importance of telecommunications networks.
For industry operators, these challenges can increase deployment costs, delay projects and affect the quality and reliability of services delivered to consumers.
The participants therefore called for greater infrastructure sharing and stronger coordination between operators and public authorities, particularly when fibre routes intersect with road construction, urban development and other public infrastructure projects.
They also stressed the importance of involving host communities in the protection of telecommunications infrastructure, arguing that public awareness and community ownership could help reduce vandalism and other forms of damage.
The outcome of the forum reflects a broader recognition within Nigeria’s telecommunications industry that expanding broadband access will require a coordinated approach.
As demand for faster and more reliable internet continues to grow, the pressure on operators to expand fibre networks will also increase. Without effective policies, proper deployment standards and adequate protection, however, infrastructure expansion could continue to face avoidable setbacks.
For ipNX, its participation in the ATCON forum reinforces its position on the need for industry-wide collaboration in building a stronger digital infrastructure base for Nigeria.
The company said continued cooperation among telecommunications operators, regulators, government institutions and communities would be essential to improving broadband penetration and creating a more digitally inclusive economy.
With Nigeria’s digital economy increasingly dependent on reliable connectivity, the conversation around Fibre-to-the-Home is moving beyond simply laying cables.
It is now about creating an infrastructure system that can be properly deployed, protected, shared and maintained.
For the stakeholders gathered in Lagos, that collaboration will be central to determining how quickly Nigeria can turn its broadband ambitions into dependable connectivity for businesses, households and communities across the country.