The Federal Government has classified infrastructure across 13 key sectors as critical national assets that must be protected from any form of interference.

These sectors include power and energy, water, information, communications, science and technology, banking, finance and insurance, health, public administration, education, defense and security, transport, food and agriculture, emergency services, industrial and manufacturing, and mines and steel.

Additionally, critical services infrastructure includes the grid substation, transmission base, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, Bank Verification Number, and National Identification Number databases.

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This designation is outlined in the ‘Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024,’ an official gazette recently signed by President Bola Tinubu. Under this order, any attack on the listed infrastructure constitutes an offense and is subject to prosecution.

This order follows the June 2024 incident where civil servants, as part of a nationwide strike led by the Nigerian Labour Congress, shut down the national grid in protest against the Federal Government’s proposed N60,000 minimum wage.

President Tinubu emphasized that the goal of this order is to implement comprehensive measures and strategies to secure and safeguard these vital infrastructures and ensure their uninterrupted operation.

The gazette read in part, “The objectives of this order are to designate certain Information and Communications Technology systems, networks and infrastructure operating in Nigeria, as Critical National Information Infrastructure.”

It will also develop cohesive measures and strategies for the security and protection of CNII, ensure their continued operation and adopt a proactive and holistic approach to the identification, security and protection of CNII.

Tinubu emphasized that the order aims to minimize incidents that could harm, disrupt, or interfere with the operation, functionality, or integrity of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

It seeks to ensure the smooth functioning of ICT systems, networks, and infrastructure vital for national goals, economic growth, security and defense, public health and safety, and government operations.

The gazetted document also designates all electronic payment gateways and the Treasury Single Account database as critical infrastructure that must be protected.

Other listed infrastructure includes the Ajaokuta Steel Company ICT systems, National Fiber network, submarine cables, SIM card registration database, Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, E-passport database, Inmates database, and voters register database.

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The Gazette stipulates that the office of the National Security Adviser will implement measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, theft, vandalism, destruction, and unlawful interference with this critical infrastructure.

“Any person, who without authorisation, and for fraudulent purposes, accesses in whole or in part, or tampers with any CNII intentionally, or for fraudulent purposes, does an act, which, directly or indirectly, hinders or interferes with the performance or functioning commits an unlawful act against any CNII and is liable to such penalties as may be prescribed in Part of the Act.”

Earlier this week, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced the release of the gazette, calling it a major advancement in safeguarding investments in the ICT sector.

He highlighted that the designation aims to minimize incidents that could harm the operations and functionality of the country’s technological systems, infrastructure, and networks.

The Minister particularly welcomed the classification of all telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). He noted that this designation is expected to enhance the quality of telecom services, which have frequently been impacted by disruptions and deliberate damage.

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“This gazette now makes it an offence to wilfully damage assets such as telco towers/sites, switch stations, data centres, satellite infrastructure, submarine & fibre optic cables, transmission equipment, e-government platforms, databases among many others,” he said.

For years, Nigerian ICT stakeholders have urged the government to classify telecom infrastructure as a critical national asset to combat the frequent attacks on it across the country. In March, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed

Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, renewed this call following an internet outage caused by damage to fibre optic cables.

In 2023, MTN Nigeria reported over 6,000 fibre cable cuts and relocated 2,500 kilometers of vulnerable cables between 2022 and 2023 at a cost exceeding N11 billion—enough to lay 870 kilometers of new fibre in underserved areas. Earlier this month, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Carl Cruz, revealed that the company has been experiencing an average of 1,000 fibre cuts per month.