The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and National Judicial Institute, NJI, yesterday, urged the judiciary to strengthen legal support for Nigeria's telecommunications infrastructure, with a view to making it the cornerstone for national security and digital transformation.
The call came at the 2024 National Workshop for Justices and Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications in Lagos.
The two-day event, with the theme "The Role of the Judiciary in Accelerating Digital Transformation in Nigeria," brought together leading members of judiciary to discuss the protection of telecommunications infrastructure, officially designated as critical national information infrastructure by a recent Presidential Order.
Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the order, signed by President Bola Tinubu, in July 2024, positioned essential telecommunications assets, such as fiber optic cables, base stations, and data centres, as vital to Nigeria's security and economic progress.
Maida highlighted the importance of this infrastructure for Nigeria's digital future, warning of the severe impacts of vandalism, theft, and unauthorized access.
He stated: "Our digital economy's success is directly tied to the security of our telecommunications infrastructure. These assets are foundational to digital services across sectors.
"Disruptions from vandalism or unauthorized tampering not only affect government and business operations but also disrupt Nigerians' daily lives."
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Also speaking, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, reinforced this message in her keynote address.
Speaking on the judiciary's role in driving digital transformation, Justice Kekere-Ekun, who was represented by Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Jummai Sankey, called attention to growing cybersecurity and data privacy challenges in the telecommunications sector.
She stressed the need for judicial support in safeguarding consumer data and protecting electronic transactions from cyber attacks, especially within the banking sector.
Similarly, Justice Salisu Abdullahi, Administrator of the NJI also urged participants to focus on enhancing the judiciary's capacity to handle telecommunications-related cases.
Abdullahi, who was represented by the institute's secretary, Olumo Abdulazeez, highlighted critical topics for discussion, such as protecting critical national information infrastructure, among others.
