Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Nigeria, has advocated broader examination of the factors threatening telecommunications infrastructure, including actions by public authorities that could disrupt network services.
Okigbo made the call on Thursday in Lagos while addressing Cohort 5 participants of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) ahead of the conclusion of the six-month fellowship.
According to him, the challenges facing telecommunications infrastructure extended beyond theft, vandalism and other criminal activities to include actions that could interrupt services or damage network facilities.
The MTN executive said telecommunications infrastructure served communities beyond the immediate location where equipment was installed meaning that damage or disruption in one area could affect users elsewhere.
He explained that residents might not always understand how infrastructure located in their communities supported communications services in other locations.
Okigbo also raised concerns about situations whereby government agencies or other authorities could take actions that disrupted services while attempting to enforce levies or other obligations.
Such interventions, he explained, could cause consequences beyond the immediate dispute, particularly when network facilities were affected.
“There’s actually more danger from the activities of government than from theft and violence,” he alleged, stressing the need to examine the broader circumstances surrounding infrastructure disruption.
Okigbo also pointed to disputes involving local authorities and the enforcement of levies, describing situations in which telecommunications equipment could be affected during enforcement activities.
He said the consequences of such actions could extend to residents and businesses that depended on network services but had no direct involvement in the disputes.
He backed the use of traditional communication channels, including community-level engagement and indigenous languages, to educate residents about the importance of protecting telecommunications infrastructure.
Okigbo acknowledged the importance of community engagement but indicated that public education alone would not resolve the problem.
He underscored the need to combine awareness campaigns with effective regulation, institutional accountability and mechanisms for resolving disputes without disrupting essential services.
“Telecommunications infrastructure supports voice calls, internet access, digital payments and other services used by households, businesses and public institutions.
“Disruptions can therefore affect not only telecommunications operators but also customers and economic activities that depend on reliable connectivity,” he said.
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