Nigeria suffers 27,000 fibre cuts in 2025 — Report

By Damilare Adeleye

No fewer than 27,000 fibre-cut incidents were recorded across the country in 2025, resulting from disruptions largely caused by road construction activities and the vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha.

The NCC highlighted fibre cuts as one of the major external challenges undermining efforts to improve the Quality of Service within the telecommunications sector.

According to the Commission, these incidents significantly affected network performance, service availability, and customer experience nationwide, contributing to dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and widespread service disruptions.

The Commission further noted that the majority of these cuts were avoidable, stemming from excavation works linked to road projects as well as the deliberate destruction of assets by non-state actors.

The statement emphasized that each of the 27,000 incidents had a direct negative impact on consumers.

To combat this, the NCC disclosed that it is currently collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other key stakeholders to implement the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure.

This initiative is aimed at strengthening the legal and physical protection of telecommunications assets across the federation.

Security agencies have already begun disrupting organized syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment. Additionally, the Commission is engaging with both Federal and State Ministries of Works to establish mechanisms that will reduce accidental fibre cuts during future construction projects.

The NCC also mandated that telecom operators must promptly notify subscribers whenever major network outages occur and restore services within specified timelines. Transparency is also being prioritized through the Major Network Outages Reporting Portal, where details of significant disruptions are published to hold providers accountable.

While acknowledging gradual improvements in network capacity in certain regions, the regulator maintained that all stakeholders must intensify efforts to protect infrastructure to ensure more reliable services for Nigerians.