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The Nigerian telecom sector's growth is being hindered by fibre cuts, according to the Association of Telecommunication Companies Of Nigeria (ATCON).
The association is ready to take strategic measures to address submarine fibre disruption in the country. ATCON's president, Tony Emoekpere, emphasized the need to tackle issues and challenges that have hindered the telecom sector's growth.
He highlighted the impact of recent submarine cuts on Nigeria and some African countries, stressing the need for relevant agencies to address these disruptions.
ATCON is advocating for implementing measures such as building ducts during road construction to minimize fibre cuts.
Emoekpere also pointed out that the telecom sector contributes over 14% to the nation's GDP and could perform even better if issues like fibre disruption are addressed effectively.
Emoekpere suggested that the government should implement policies such as the 'Dig Once Policy' to prevent operators from damaging each other's cables during fibre laying.
He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a clear database of government agencies granting approvals for road construction to help telecom companies identify their partners, as well as the need for ATCON to provide regular updates on their activities.
The CEO of NetAccess, Lekan Balogun, identified various causes of fibre cable cuts and emphasized the importance of ongoing communication between ATCON members, the government, and developers.
Balogun also recommended using protective materials like metals instead of plastics to prevent unwanted cable cuts.
