The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on Nigerian students to actively protect telecommunications infrastructure across the country, describing such facilities as critical national assets that support education, innovation, economic growth and digital connectivity.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the call during a courtesy and familiarisation visit by the newly elected leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to the commission’s head office in Abuja.

The EVC, who was represented by the Director, Public Affairs Department, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, congratulated the newly elected NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, and members of the association’s executive council on their emergence while commending the smooth transition in the leadership of the student body.

Maida noted that the longstanding relationship between the NCC and NANS has continued to flourish because of mutual respect, dialogue and constructive engagement, and expressed confidence that the current leadership would build on the achievements of its predecessors.

He encouraged the student body to remain actively involved in the commission’s stakeholder engagement processes, particularly public consultations on regulatory and consumer-related initiatives, to ensure that the interests and perspectives of Nigerian students are adequately represented in policy development.

Speaking on challenges facing the telecommunications industry, Maida identified vandalism of telecommunications facilities, theft of fibre optic cables and network equipment, destruction of infrastructure, and right-of-way challenges as major factors affecting service delivery across the country.

He urged NANS to support ongoing awareness efforts by sensitising students on the importance of safeguarding telecommunications facilities located within and outside educational institutions.

“Telecommunications infrastructure remains the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy and plays a crucial role in learning, research, innovation and communication. Students can support national efforts aimed at protecting telecommunications infrastructure through awareness and responsible civic engagement,” he said.

Firms Launch National Initiative to Unify Nigeria’s Innovation Clusters

The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub has launched the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange (NICE), an initiative funded by the UK-Nigeria tech hub, under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by The Nest Innovation Technology Park.

Speaking about the initiative, Co-founder of The Nest Innovation Technology Park, Oluwajoba Oloba, said: “Today, we are moving from celebrating isolated pockets of brilliance to engineering a collective national engine for growth. NICE provides architecture to unify our myriad of ESOs and startups, allowing them to function like a coordinated army of ants. We are not just launching a programme; we are activating the connective tissue Nigeria’s economy has long demanded.”

Developed with insights from the 2025 UK Digital Trade and Innovation Tour, coordinated by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub in collaboration with the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), NICE adapts global best practices to the Nigerian context. The initiative aims to tackle the “coordination deficit” in a country where National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed over 53 per cent youth underemployment, and fewer than 10 per cent of startups survive beyond their third year.

The pilot programme will strengthen Nigeria’s innovation clusters—defined as geographically and sectorally concentrated networks of ESOs, startups, manufacturing firms, and state agencies through four primary objectives.