The growing national concern over the implementation of the recently enacted Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024, has prompted stakeholders in the telecommunications sector to reconvene under a more strategic timeline.
In light of this, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), in collaboration with other key industry bodies, have rescheduled the highly anticipated CNII & Sustainability Conference 2025 to August 7, 2025, and will be held at CitiHeight Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The decision to shift the date, originally set for July 30, was made following a comprehensive telecom stakeholders’ forum convened by the nation’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The postponement, endorsed by the NCC, is to ensure a more robust and inclusive conversation around the law that now classifies telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), making it a protected national asset.
The 2024 CNII Order, passed in August last year, was widely applauded. Yet, its tangible impact remains elusive, raising questions within the sector about the readiness of stakeholders, operators, regulators, and consumers alike, to align with the Act’s provisions.
In a statement announcing the new date, NITRA emphasized that “mere declaration of the CNII order as an Act cannot solely guarantee infrastructure safety unless internal standardisation and implementation measures are resolved by operators.”
The statement further stressed the urgency of a collective industry approach to address lingering concerns.
Themed “Industry Sustainability And CNII Conference 2025 – Way Forward,” the forum will examine the necessary steps for the industry to move from policy to practice.
Central to the discussions will be critical questions such as how to ensure full implementation of the CNII law, whether there are aspects of the Act that may need reconsideration, and what specific roles each stakeholder, federal and state governments, operators, consumers, and other actors, should play.
Other key issues to be addressed include how individual telecom companies and service providers are aligning with CNII provisions, what responsibilities regulators have in ensuring public compliance, and what strategies can be adopted to improve infrastructure security.
The importance of collaboration between stakeholders will also be explored, alongside the current level of public awareness regarding CNII provisions. The conference will further seek to establish how the growth and development of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector can be sustained in the long term.
These topics will be thoroughly examined during panel discussion sessions, with participants drawn from across government, regulatory agencies, telecom operators, infrastructure companies, and the media.
The event, backed by industry associations such as the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), will feature panel discussions that tackle the practicalities of CNII implementation and broader sustainability challenges.
Top government officials, including the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, representatives from regulatory bodies, security agencies, infrastructure companies, private sector leaders, and the media are expected to participate.
NITRA reiterated the gravity of the conversation, stating: “It is a known fact that the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is crucial to the survivability of a nation, and that the destruction or disruption of these systems and communication networks would significantly affect the economic strength, image, defense and security, government capabilities to function, and public health and safety.”
Speaking ahead of the forum, ALTON Chairman Engr. Gbenga Adebayo underscored the importance of maintaining and upgrading telecom infrastructure to guard against vandalism and theft.
NITRA Chairman, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, also noted that the conference represents a pivotal opportunity for industry players to develop actionable frameworks for securing telecom infrastructure, leveraging the Federal Government’s proclamation of CNII as a foundation for collaborative enforcement and compliance.
The August 7 event promises to shape the next phase of Nigeria’s telecom regulatory and operational landscape, reinforcing sustainability and infrastructure protection as twin pillars of national development.
