IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count has emphasized the need for robust infrastructure protection mechanisms to drive a more efficient digital economy in Nigeria.
Reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting government and industry stakeholders in building a resilient communication infrastructure landscape, Mr. Sadisu Jubrin, Director of Administration Operations at IHS, stressed the importance of adopting a holistic and sustainable strategy to safeguard the country’s critical communications infrastructure.
According to him, legislation alone is not enough to curb the persistent cases of theft and vandalism. Speaking at a stakeholder collaborative forum in Lagos organized by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) and the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) with the theme “Critical National ICT Infrastructure and Industry Sustainability—Way Forward”, Jubrin said IHS Nigeria advocates a multi-faceted approach combining public awareness, technological innovation, and stronger partnerships with security agencies and host communities.
He noted that IHS has strengthened collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) through a joint national advocacy campaign on radio and digital platforms.
“The campaign educates host communities on the dangers of vandalism and how damaged infrastructure negatively affects businesses, including access to finance through Point of Sale (PoS) terminals. We must empower our communities to become the first line of defence against infrastructure sabotage,” Jubrin said.
To reinforce security, IHS Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to improve site surveillance, enhance emergency response, and ensure the prosecution of offenders. The company also leverages remote monitoring and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for real-time surveillance of assets—enabling early detection of unauthorised access, predictive maintenance, and reduced site visits.
Additionally, IHS has launched community protection programmes in key locations to safeguard essential hub sites. These initiatives not only foster local ownership but also create employment opportunities for community members.
Highlighting further security measures, Jubrin revealed that IHS Nigeria has partnered with G4S to deploy 650 rapid response patrol vehicles nationwide, equipped with communication systems directly linked to the network operations centre for swift incident response.
Speaking during a panel session, Bond Abbe, Associate Director, Government Relations at IHS Towers, reinforced the need for collaboration to minimize the rising cases of vandalism, which he described as a growing threat to the efficiency of Nigeria’s telecom sector.
“Stakeholders including government, security agencies, tower companies, and telcos must come together to confront this menace. IHS remains fully committed to securing its over 16,000 towers and 15,000km of fibre across Nigeria, as protecting critical national infrastructure is a task of utmost importance,” Abbe stated.
