News
Fate of Critical National Infrastructure protection
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore
On June 24,2024,President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed an Executive Order for the protection of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment in order to build a robust economy.
Captioned DESIGNATION AND PROTECTION OF CRITICAL NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE ORDER, (CNII)2024, the order derives its power from Cybercrime Act of 2015.
Specifically, this is In exercise of the powers conferred on the President by section 3 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended), and all other powers enabling him in that behalf.
“The objectives of this Order are to designate certain Information and Communications Technology systems (ICT), networks and infrastructure operating in Nigeria, as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) , develop cohesive measures and strategies for the security and protection of CNII, and ensure their continued operation .
The order specifies adoption and proactive holistic approach in the identification, security and protection of CNIl; reduce to the barest minimum, incidences capable of damaging, disrupting, or interfering with the operation, functionality, or integrity of CNII .
The order is essentially to ensure the effective functioning of ICT systems, networks, and infrastructure, which are critical to driving national imperatives, economic development, national security and defense, public health and safety, and government operations.
It lists Computer systems, networks, and communication infrastructures acquired, installed, deployed, and operated in sectors of the Nigerian economy as in the Schedule to this Order as critical and are hereby designated as CNII.
But beautiful as the document is,its impact is yet to be felt.
Inspite of the good intentions thereto, not much has been done or heard in this regard as it appears the document appears confined to government archive as one of those policies that have good intentions but remain slow in implementation.
Strangely, nobody is even talking about it and industry players are worried.
As for the Cybercrime Act from where this order was derived, very little has come from there too except pockets of arrests and prosecution especially of persons who may have alleged to have carried out cyberstalking and others.
The CNII order requires strong implementation especially if we intend to build a resilient and robust economy and sustain and protect telecommunications infrastructure, grow the ICT sector to improve on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among others.
Not much has been heard or implemented since 2024 when the order was signed and it is worrisome that such a beautiful policy is allowed to rot away in the back waters of governance.
CNII refers to interconnected systems; networks that are indispensable for the functioning of the nation’s economy, security, public health, and general safety. These information infrastructures ensure seamless communication, data storage, and operational continuity in both private and public sectors.
Examples of CNII include telecommunications networks, financial systems, transportation management systems, national power grids, national identity management system among others.
Disruption to any of these systems could result in significant economic losses and distress.
Legal experts explain that Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA )is tasked with leading efforts to protect CNII by collaborating with relevant stakeholders to establish a Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN) that would encourage the exchange of information across various sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Order also empowers the ONSA to conduct regular audits and inspections of CNII to ensure compliance with applicable laws, guidelines, and rules.
Additionally, the ONSA in collaboration with relevant CNII stakeholders is required to develop and implement a Critical National Information Infrastructure Protection Plan (CNIIPP) and other measures to prevent unauthorized access, theft, vandalism, destruction, and unlawful interference with the operation of CNII.
This is to minimize risks and reduce incidents that could disrupt or compromise the functionality of this CNII.
Pursuant to the Act, individuals who commit offences against CNII, specifically, unauthorized access, tampering, or interference with CNII, shall upon conviction be liable to imprisonment for up to 10 years. Where such acts result in grievous bodily harm to individuals, the imprisonment terms extend up to 15 years. In cases where such offences lead to the loss of life, offenders are liable to life imprisonment.
The designation of telecom infrastructure as a critical national infrastructure may not address the challenges of vandalism except the government displays the political will to enforce the Order.
The immediate past government had approved and also directed that necessary physical protective measures be put in place to safeguard telecommunications infrastructure deployed across the country.
The presidential directive, mandated Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),to ensure protection of the infrastructure and were properly notified of the President’s directive and were expected to enforce same as directed.
But very little was done because this had no impact as vandalism of the infrastructure remained a daily occurrence across the country to date.
That is why this government should sum up the political will to implement this Executive Order, safeguard the infrastructure and fuel the economy.
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister, Bosun Tijani explained at the advent of the document that “the order is a significant step that would strengthen and protect investments in the ICT sector by reducing incidences capable of damaging the operations and functionality of the country’s technological systems, infrastructure, and networks.”
The Minister added that designating telecom infrastructure as CNII would help improve the quality of telecoms services, which has often been affected by disruption and intentional damage.
“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,” adding that government would continue to work to create an enabling and supportive environment and policies for the digital economy to thrive.
The Order identifies areas that are critical for protection as: power and energy sectors of the economy, water; information, communication, science and technology ;banking, finance and insurance ;health ;public administration; education ;defense and security transport; food and agriculture; safety and emergency services; industrial and manufacturing; and mines and steel.
The order states that the National Security Adviser (NSA) may, with the approval of the President, update the list of sectors in the Schedule to this Order, taking into consideration emerging technologies and platforms, in line with the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act (“the Act”), and the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (“the Policy”).
And any update made pursuant to the listed areas shall be published in the Federal Gazette.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) shall, in collaboration with relevant CNII stakeholders, develop a comprehensive Critical National Information Infrastructure Protection Plan (CNIIPP) ; and guidelines, specifying minimum standards, rules, and procedures for the protection, preservation and general management of designated CNII,for the approval of the President.”
“The ONSA shall, in collaboration with relevant CNII stakeholders, establish a Trusted information Sharing Network (TISN), as a multidisciplinary framework, comprising owners and operators of CNII ;representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government (MDAs) ; and identified private sector organisations, to build and execute awareness campaigns on risks to CNII, share information and techniques required to assess and mitigate risks in a decentralised manner across sectors of the economy, and implement capacity building initiatives to strengthen and mainstream resilience and protection of the infrastructure and networks.”
Members and entities within the TISN shall collaborate and share information on threats and vulnerabilities, and develop strategies and solution to mitigate known and evolving risks.
How much of this has been implemented across board leaves us guessing.
Before the Presidential intervention,it has been a tale of woes by stakeholders in the Nigerian ICT sector who have been calling on the government to designate telecom infrastructure as a critical national infrastructure to address the challenges of persistent attacks on the infrastructure across the country.
In March 2024,the Operators reiterated the call as Nigeria suffered an internet outage due to damage to some fibre optic cables.
“In 2023 alone, MTN Nigeria suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable. The operator relocated 2,500 kilometres of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than N11bn —enough to build 870 kilometres of new fiber lines in areas without coverage.”
Early in August 2024 ,Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, while speaking during an industry forum, said the telecom company had been recording an average of 1,000 cases of fibre cuts every month.
——As The Lawmaker offers Bursary to 84 Outstanding Students, Certificates In ICT To 1000 Others
The four-day grand finale of the Free training on information and computer technology, ( ICT) Programme sponsored by the Member Representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Prof. Paul Sunday Nnamchi, came to a successful conclusion on Sunday, 20th September, 2026 at St. Therese Parish, Phase Six, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu.
The programme, designed to equip young people with essential digital skills and improve their capacity to thrive in today’s technology-driven world, featured Bursary Awards to 84 outstanding students and presentation of certificates to over 1,000 students and youths drawn from communities across the constituency.
Highpoint of the colourful event was the presentation of a special “Award of Excellence” to Hon. Prof. Paul Sunday Nnamchi in recognition of his commitment to youth development, education and community empowerment by the St. Therese Parish, of Catholic Church, Phase Six, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu.
Presenting the award on behalf of the parish, Very Rev. Fr. Franklin Udeze expressed profound appreciation to Prof. Nnamchi for his numerous contributions to human capital development and what he described as his outstanding performance in the National Assembly. He prayed that God would continue to bless, guide and strengthen him in his service to the people.
In his response, Hon. Prof. Nnamchi appreciated the parishioners, youths and students for the honour and recognition, noting that God’s grace and their prayers had been his strength.
He stated further that, “one of his primary objectives in the National Assembly is to ensure that students across Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency acquire computer literacy and essential digital skills”.
Prof Nnamchi also emphasized that the world had become increasingly technology-driven and that young people must be adequately prepared to participate meaningfully in the global community.
Earlier, the Programme Coordinator, *Engr. Igwe Daniel Nwachukwu, praised the parents and guardians for entrusting their children and wards to the programme and for supporting their participation throughout the excise.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to make meaningful use of the knowledge and skills acquired, stressing that the true value of the programme would be demonstrated through their ability to apply what they have learned to improve their lives, create opportunities and contribute positively to society.
Delivering the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Avian Chimeziterem expressed sincere appreciation to Hon. Prof. Nnamchi for remembering young people and providing them with such a valuable and impactful opportunity.
She thanked the lawmaker and resource persons for investing in their future and assured that they would make good use of the skills acquired during the one month intensive computer training programme.
The successful completion of the 4th edition, which trained 2,927 students marks another significant milestone in the lawmaker’s drive to promote digital literacy, youth empowerment and educational development in Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency.
By Gloria Ikibah
Ghana has called for stronger regional cooperation among ECOWAS member states to tackle the growing links between climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity across West Africa.
The call was made on Tuesday by Ghana’s Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who represented President John Dramani Mahama at the official opening of the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar and Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra.
The seminar, being held under the theme, “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region,” is examining the growing impact of climate-related pressures on communities, livelihoods and regional security.
Opoku-Agyemang said the interconnected nature of the challenges required ECOWAS countries to move beyond isolated national responses and develop coordinated measures capable of addressing both the immediate consequences and underlying causes.
She said: “We need stronger early warnings, better support for host communities, more resilient livelihoods and better coordination across our borders, acting before local pressures become wider humanitarian crises”.
The Vice-President said climate change should no longer be treated solely as an environmental matter, arguing that its consequences were increasingly being felt in development, humanitarian and security sectors.
She cited population displacement across the Sahel and neighbouring coastal states, noting that insecurity, environmental stress and disrupted livelihoods in one part of West Africa could increasingly place pressure on communities and national systems elsewhere.
According to her, Ghana was working with ECOWAS to strengthen early-warning mechanisms through improved data sharing, closer coordination and stronger links between national and regional response systems.
Opoku-Agyemang also called for greater efforts to mobilise climate finance and invest in resilient agriculture, water management, coastal protection and clean energy.
According to her, ECOWAS already had important frameworks covering free movement, disaster risk reduction, climate action and early warning, but the priority should now be to ensure that the frameworks were fully implemented and adequately funded.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, also called for climate commitments to be translated into practical measures through legislation, budgets and effective oversight.
“Our role is to ensure that public policy and budgets devoted to climate resilience … contain also the humanitarian dimensions, economic, social, migratory, and security concerns,” she said.
Ibrahima said recent flooding along parts of the region’s coastline had demonstrated how closely climate, humanitarian and security challenges were connected.
She therefore urged parliamentarians to use the seminar to develop practical recommendations capable of protecting vulnerable communities and preventing environmental pressures from escalating into conflict.
The Ghanaian Parliament called on ECOWAS member states to strengthen legislation on environmental governance, climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and sustainable management of natural resources.
It also urged governments to improve protection for displaced persons, refugees and host communities, while creating opportunities for young people and women through climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy and entrepreneurship.
The Second Deputy Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Hon. Andrew Asiamah, who represented the Speaker, emphasised that no ECOWAS member state can address the challenges alone.
He noted that rivers, ecosystems and environmental crimes did not respect national borders, making regional cooperation essential to tackling the problems.
Hon. Asiamah also warned that effective regional responses would require adequate financing, saying policies without the resources to implement them would remain largely aspirational.
The Head of the Ghanaian Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, said the regional Parliament had an important role to play in finding solutions to climate change and insecurity because lawmakers were closer to the people.
He called for a coordinated and holistic approach to the challenges confronting the region.
The Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament will also consider the institution’s 2027 budget and activity programme.
The parliamentary seminar forms part of ongoing regional efforts to examine the relationship between climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and growing insecurity in West Africa.
By Gloria Ikibah
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for a new regional compact to tackle climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity, warning that the region can no longer treat climate change as an environmental concern alone.
The call was made on Tuesday by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, represented by the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Professor Nassirou Bako-Arifari, at the Second 2026 Joint Parliamentary Seminar in Accra, Ghana.
The seminar, which runs from September 21 to 23, is focused on “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
Prof. Bako-Arifari said the consequences of climate change were already placing growing pressure on communities, livelihoods and regional stability, making coordinated action by governments and parliaments increasingly necessary.
He said: “The theme before us is not simply an environmental issue. It is a development issue, a humanitarian issue, a peace and security issue, and ultimately an issue of human survival and regional stability confronting ECOWAS member states. West Africa is among the regions of the world particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, desertification, coastal erosion, floods and the degradation of forests and farmlands are placing unprecedented pressure on communities and livelihoods.”
Naijablitznews.com reports that the World Bank has projected that West African countries could see as many as 32 million people moving within their own countries by 2050 because of climate factors if concrete climate and development action is not taken.
Bako-Arifari said ECOWAS had begun work to address the financing challenge facing climate action, including efforts to establish a regional carbon market platform under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
“Honourable Parliamentarians, Since 2024, the ECOWAS Commission has initiated an ambitious process aimed at establishing a regional carbon market platform in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, a mechanism intended to mobilise necessary investments to address climate financing needs estimated at $294 bn for the region.
“Against this background, this Seminar is organised to provide a veritable platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, inter-institutional consultations to come up with concrete recommendations to strengthen climate resilience, human security and sustainable development in the ECOWAS Region”, he noted.
According to ECOWAS the region’s climate financing needs are estimated at $294 billion, while its regional carbon market initiative is being developed as one avenue for mobilising additional resources.
The ECOWAS commissioner placed particular emphasis on the role of parliamentarians, saying lawmakers had the power to translate regional commitments into national policies and practical action.
“This brings us to the critical role of Parliamentarians. Parliaments are uniquely positioned to translate regional commitments into national action. You provide the legislative frameworks, approve national budgets, exercise oversight and, importantly, serve as a direct bridge between governments and citizens”, he said.
Bako-Arifari proposed stronger climate-responsive legislation and oversight, increased domestic and regional financing, better early-warning systems and more inclusive management of natural resources.
“First, strengthen climate-responsive legislation and oversight. Our laws and policies must adequately address environmental protection, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable management of natural resources.
“Second, prioritise climate financing. Climate resilience cannot be achieved through declarations alone. We need predictable domestic and regional resources, while also mobilising international climate finance and strengthening access to available funding mechanisms.
“Third, strengthen early warning and early action. We must move from reacting to climate-related disasters to anticipating and preventing them. Regional early warning systems should be linked to communitylevel preparedness and rapid response mechanisms.
“Fourth, promote inclusive management of natural resources. Land, water, forests and fisheries must be managed transparently and sustainably. Local communities, women, young people, traditional authorities and other stakeholders must have a meaningful role in decision-making.
“Fifth, place youth and women at the centre of climate resilience. They are not merely victims of climate change. They are innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and agents of resilience. Investing in their skills, enterprises and participation is therefore an investment in the future stability of our region.”
Bako-Arifari said ECOWAS must also strengthen cooperation among member states on climate adaptation, disaster management, food and water security, environmental protection and the management of resources shared across borders.
He therefore called for closer collaboration between governments, parliaments, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, the private sector, academia and development partners.
On the broader security implications, he said ECOWAS needed to adopt a wider understanding of security which went beyond the protection of borders and prevention of armed conflict.
But cautioned against waiting for environmental pressures to develop into humanitarian or security crises.
“The scale and complexity of this challenge require us to move from fragmented responses to a comprehensive regional climate-resilience and human-security agenda. We need a new understanding of security—one that recognises that security is not only about protecting borders and preventing armed conflict. It is also about ensuring that citizens have access to food, water, livelihoods, a safe environment and opportunities for a dignified life.
“We must therefore be proactive and invest in resilience before crises occur. We must protect our ecosystems before they become irreversibly degraded. We must create livelihoods before desperation drives communities into displacement. Last but not the least, we must address grievances before they become conflict”, he added.
The commissioner urged parliamentarians to ensure that the seminar produced practical outcomes rather than becoming another forum for discussing the region’s climate challenges.
“Let us build an ECOWAS region embedded in in which climate resilience is development planning; where displacement is managed with dignity; where natural resources become instruments of cooperation rather than sources of conflict; and where our young people see a future of opportunity rather than one defined by environmental vulnerability and insecurity.
“Let our efforts continue to advance peace, security, resilience and sustainable development in the ECOWAS Region as ECOWAS transitions from ECOWAS of States to ECOWAS of People and Prosperity for All”, he stated.
Prof Nnamchi Bags Excellence Award From Catholic Parish For His Investment In Youths(Photos)
Ghana Urges ECOWAS States to Unite Against Climate-driven Insecurity
ECOWAS Seeks New Regional Pact as Climate Crisis Threatens Security
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