NCC Urges Nigerian Students To Protect Telecom Infrastructure

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on Nigerian students to take an active role in protecting telecommunications infrastructure, describing it as a critical national asset that supports education, innovation, economic growth and digital connectivity.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the newly elected leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Represented by the Director of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, Maida congratulated the newly elected NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, and members of the association’s executive council on their emergence. He commended the peaceful leadership transition and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to maintaining its longstanding partnership with the student body.

The NCC boss said the relationship between the Commission and NANS had remained strong through continuous dialogue, mutual respect and constructive engagement, expressing confidence that the new leadership would further strengthen collaboration.

He urged NANS to participate actively in the Commission’s stakeholder engagement activities, particularly public consultations on regulatory and consumer-related policies, to ensure that the interests of Nigerian students are reflected in the country’s telecommunications policy framework.

Maida identified vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, theft of fibre optic cables and network equipment, destruction of facilities and right-of-way challenges as major obstacles to efficient service delivery.

He called on the student body to support national efforts by creating awareness among students on the importance of safeguarding telecommunications infrastructure within and outside educational institutions.

According to him, telecommunications infrastructure remains the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy and is essential for learning, research, innovation and communication. He stressed that students have a vital role to play in protecting these assets through responsible civic engagement and public awareness.

The NCC chief also highlighted initiatives aimed at expanding digital inclusion, including the deployment of digital infrastructure through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), the establishment of Digital Parks in tertiary institutions and programmes designed to promote digital learning and innovation across the country.

He further disclosed that the Commission is consulting stakeholders on a proposed framework that could allow access to selected approved educational platforms without data charges under specified conditions, as part of efforts to improve access to digital learning resources.

On consumer protection, Maida reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of telecommunications consumers and encouraged students to make use of the consumer education resources available on the Commission’s website to better understand their rights, data management practices and complaint resolution channels.

Earlier, NANS President Akinteye Babatunde commended the NCC for maintaining a cordial relationship with the student body, describing the Commission’s commitment to stakeholder engagement as a catalyst for peaceful advocacy and constructive participation by Nigerian students in national development.