Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced on Wednesday the release of an official gazette titled “Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024,” aimed at safeguarding the country’s key technological assets.
Tijani, in a statement on his X platform, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the order, describing it as a crucial measure to bolster the security of Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
The minister emphasized that the new regulation would significantly reduce incidents that threaten the integrity and functionality of the nation’s technological systems, infrastructure, and networks.
The protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) has been highlighted as a top priority by the current administration, the minister stated.
The order criminalizes the willful damage of critical assets, including telecommunications towers, switch stations, data centres, satellite infrastructure, submarine and fibre optic cables, transmission equipment, e-government platforms, and databases, among others.
Tijani noted that the enhanced protection would lead to improvements in the quality of telecom services, which have frequently been disrupted by intentional damage and other forms of interference.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for Nigeria’s digital economy, stressing the importance of continued policy development to ensure the sector’s growth and resilience.
