—NCC, IHS Towers, Digital Realty, 9mobile Take Front Row Seats
Top players in Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem are converging on Lagos for the inaugural CNII & Telecom Sustainability Conference 2025, a high-level forum designed to address the future of telecom sustainability and the implementation of the newly signed Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order.
Digital TimesNG reports that the event, scheduled for August 7, 2025, is being jointly organized by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) and the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
It will bring together public and private sector stakeholders to review the progress of the CNII Order, signed in June 2024 as an extension of the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, and discuss strategies for protecting vital infrastructure such as telecom networks, financial systems, and power grids.
Confirmed participants include the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), IHS Towers, 9mobile Nigeria, Digital Realty, and key security agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Peace Corps Nigeria. The conference will also host the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
Headlining the theme, “Telecoms Industry Sustainability and the CNII Act – Way Forward”, IHS Towers is expected to give a detailed presentation on the current state of telecom infrastructure across the country. A panel session will follow, focusing on the “Role Expectations of Stakeholders in the Implementation of the CNII Act.”
Panelists will deliberate on critical issues, including how to ensure the CNII Order is implemented to the letter and what the specific roles of various stakeholders, such as federal and state governments, telecom operators, consumers, and other actors, should be.
Discussions will also explore whether telecom companies are actively aligning with CNII provisions and in what practical ways.
The panel will also examine whether the Order, as currently framed, is sufficient or if certain areas require review or amendment. Participants are expected to discuss the roles regulators must play to ensure public compliance, strategies to enhance infrastructure security, and the importance of multi-level collaboration in driving the initiative forward.
Another focal point of discussion will be the level of public awareness surrounding the CNII provisions and how to improve publicity efforts. The panel will also address how the country can sustain growth and development in the telecommunications sector under the CNII framework.
Keynote addresses will be delivered by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, and the President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
“This event is key because it will bring stakeholders to the CNII plan to a roundtable to re-evaluate the decision, make amends and continue the journey. This has to be a periodic gathering to make the goals of this order achievable,” said Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, General Secretary of NITRA.
According to him, the conference aims to foster robust collaboration among stakeholders and create a platform to track progress, assess challenges, and propose practical solutions to issues affecting the CNII’s implementation.
ALTON, the official industry body for all telecom and subsidiary service providers in Nigeria, will be strongly represented. Its Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, alongside NITRA Chairman Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, will welcome delegates and lead the opening engagements.
The CNII & Telecom Sustainability Conference 2025 is expected to become a recurring strategic forum to monitor, refine, and sustain the nation’s efforts toward securing critical digital infrastructure and ensuring long-term industry resilience.