• The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have raised concerns over potential disruptions to connectivity as construction progresses on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
• Multichoice, the owner of DStv and GOtv, recently alerted subscribers to a three-day technical downtime, attributing it to the ongoing construction on the Lagos-Calabar highway. This relocation is expected to affect their uplink facilities.
• The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway corridor serves as a vital landing point for several submarine cables connecting Nigeria to Europe, including the West Africa Cable System (WACS), MainOne, Glo1, ACE, and NCSCS. These cables are critical for international communications and data transmission.
• The Federal Executive Council approved Phase One of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, entrusting it to Hitech Construction Company Limited. The highway is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through several coastal states.
• Telcos have expressed concerns about potential disruptions to telecommunications services due to the construction, emphasizing the need for stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Works to address risks and implement mitigation measures.
• Despite efforts to engage the Ministry of Works, telcos have not been included in environmental impact assessments or stakeholder consultations regarding the construction’s effects on undersea cables.
• Telcos stress the importance of exercising caution during construction to avoid damage to critical national infrastructure, as seen in previous incidents where subsea cable cuts caused service disruptions and incurred significant repair costs.
• The telecom sector is already facing economic challenges, leading to decreased investment and increased operating costs. Telcos urge the government to enact legislation designating telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure to protect assets and ensure uninterrupted services.
• Multichoice subscribers have demanded compensation for the three-day technical downtime, expressing dissatisfaction with the potential service interruption during the relocation of uplink facilities.
• Multichoice has assured subscribers of efforts to minimize disruptions and restore services promptly. The company recently announced a price increase for its DStv and GOtv packages, prompting further scrutiny from customers regarding service quality and compensation policies.