IHS Nigeria, a leading telecommunications infrastructure provider, has entered into a new partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect critical telecom infrastructure across the country. The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the collaboration.
With more than 16,000 telecom towers and over 15,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable deployed across Nigeria, IHS Nigeria plays a major role in supporting the country’s digital economy. However, vandalism, theft, and sabotage have continued to threaten these critical assets. The new agreement aims to tackle these challenges head-on by bringing law enforcement and infrastructure management under one cooperative effort.
The NSCDC, under the Federal Ministry of Interior, is the official agency in charge of protecting Nigeria’s critical national assets and infrastructure, including telecommunications. Under this new MoU, the corps will provide direct support to IHS Nigeria through improved site surveillance, quick emergency response, and enhanced incident reporting procedures.
In his statement, Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria, Mr. Mohamad Darwish, said the company views this partnership as a vital step toward improving network security and ensuring consistent service quality for Nigerians. “At IHS, we are key enablers of connectivity, and this partnership with the NSCDC is for us an important step towards enhancing the resilience, reliability and availability of telecommunications connectivity in Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the agreement will not only help secure IHS’s operations and sites across Nigeria, but will also play a major role in supporting the broader ICT sector and ensuring Nigeria’s continued growth in the digital space.
Darwish further stated that by collaborating with a law enforcement body such as the NSCDC, which is empowered by law to protect national infrastructure, the company can better serve its customers and contribute meaningfully to national development.
On the side of the NSCDC, the Commandant General, Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Audi, emphasized the strategic importance of IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure to the country’s economy. He noted that the telecom towers and fibre networks are critical to the daily operations of many businesses, government agencies, and millions of Nigerians who rely on digital communication services.
“The Corps has a mandate to safeguard critical national infrastructure, and IHS Nigeria’s extensive telecommunications assets and network falls squarely within this mandate,” he said. “We consider IHS to be a strategic partner whose infrastructure is essential to the operations of many organisations across the country.”
He also assured the public that the NSCDC will increase its level of support to secure telecom sites from criminal activity and will actively assist in tracking, arresting and prosecuting vandals and saboteurs.
This new partnership is expected to bring lasting solutions to the persistent problem of telecom infrastructure attacks in both urban and rural areas. According to industry analysts, this kind of public-private collaboration is long overdue and can serve as a model for similar partnerships in other sectors.
The agreement also covers assistance in tower decommissioning, which often attracts illegal activities when not properly secured. The NSCDC will help oversee these processes to ensure compliance and prevent misuse.
As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand, stable telecommunications infrastructure becomes even more critical. With the support of the NSCDC, IHS Nigeria is confident that it can maintain and grow its operations without constant disruptions caused by insecurity and vandalism.
The collaboration between IHS Nigeria and the NSCDC represents a proactive move toward securing the nation’s telecom backbone and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery to millions of Nigerians.
