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Undersea Cable Cuts: NCC calls for multilateral approach to secure telecoms infrastructure
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has has called for a coordinated and multilateral approach by the region to protect shared telecommunications infrastructure, and diversify connectivity to ensure uninterruptible connections, following recent undersea cable cuts that challenged connectivities in many countries in the West African region, Nigeria.
KANO FOCUS reports that Executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the submission in a statement delivered at the 21st West Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) which held in Sierra Leone.
Maida, whose message was delivered at the WATRA AGM by the deputy director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, stated that the recent submarine cable cuts that resulted in nationwide outages on multiple networks in 12 African countries has raised the urgent need for the subregion to establish a mechanism to protect itself from damage to submarine infrastructure and its attendant impact on the subregion.
Maida referred to a report by Cloudflare, an IT service management firm, which indicates that about six countries, including four West African countries, were still suffering from the outages caused by the submarine cable cuts, to buttress the call.
“Securing telecom infrastructure is paramount for fostering Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and enhancing investor confidence in the West African sub-region.
The reliability and resilience of telecommunications networks are crucial factors that investors consider when evaluating regional opportunities.
“By ensuring the security of these vital assets, we can attract more investment, spur economic growth, and enhance our competitiveness on the global stage. A secure telecoms infrastructure not only facilitates efficient communication and connectivity but also signals a commitment to safeguarding critical assets essential for business operations. This assurance can significantly boost investor confidence and create a conducive environment for sustainable economic development,” he said.
According to him, “the impact of events like cable cuts highlights the need for a coordinated, multilateral approach to protecting shared infrastructure across our member nations.”
Maida therefore, proposed “the urgent need to set up a framework for joint monitoring, risk mitigation, and emergency response procedures for the submarine cables that pass through the sub-region.
“Further to this, we recommend that the WATRA Working Group on Infrastructure expand its mandate to spearhead the development of a comprehensive strategy to safeguard the subregion’s telecommunications networks and associated infrastructure thereby proactively bolstering resilience through improved disaster response protocols to better insulate ourselves from future disruptions.”
‘Undersea Cable Cuts: Why Nigeria Was Not Severely Affected’
He advised that the goals of the Working Group would be to strengthen sub-regional infrastructure resilience, promote the diversification of the sub-region’s connectivity, conduct regular capacity assessments, as well as facilitate the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure in member countries.
The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly, was established in 2002 as a common platform for national telecommunication regulatory authorities in 16 member states to promote the adoption of regulations that stimulate investment in telecommunication infrastructure to deliver more affordable, accessible, faster and secure communication services to citizens.
At the 21st WATRA Annual General Meeting, issues pertaining to accessible and affordable telecommunication services in the sub-region were discussed, including improved consumer protection, quality of service, roaming and conflict resolution for consumers.
A major highlight of the AGM was the reelection of Nigeria’s Engr. Yusuf Aliyu Aboki, as Executive Secretary, for a second term in a unanimous vote by the member countries.
The EVC of NCC commended Engr. Aboki for his firm, inclusive and visionary leadership, which saw the successful delivery of WATRA’s 2022 — 2025 Strategic Plan, noting that Nigeria and indeed the sub-region was proud of the milestones he has achieved during his first tenure.
He further advised the WATRA executive secretary to build on the achievements of his first tenure, through stronger partnerships and deeper collaboration while advancing the interests of the sub-regional body.
KANO FOCUS recall that in the early hours of Thursday, March 14, 2024, there was a nationwide outages on multiple networks in 12 African countries, including Nigeria. This led to internet disruption in major sectors of the economy.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government says it has executed 1,508 development projects worth more than N928 billion across the state’s 44 local government areas since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf assumed office, with about 80 per cent of constituency projects awarded between 2023 and 2025 already completed.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji Sumaila, disclosed this during an international press briefing on the administration’s infrastructure development programme.
According to Comrade Sumaila, the projects cover critical sectors including roads, urban renewal, education, healthcare, security and other social infrastructure.
He said 799 of the projects have been completed, while 709 are at various stages of execution. He added that the state is also implementing 619 constituency projects through members of the Kano State House of Assembly.
The commissioner noted that about 80 per cent of the constituency projects have been completed. However, he said some projects remain unfinished because of rising construction costs caused by inflation.
He said the government has submitted a request to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for an upward review of contract sums to enable contractors complete the affected projects.
Breakdown of projects
Comrade Sumaila said the administration spent over N169 billion on urban renewal projects, including road rehabilitation, drainage construction and other metropolitan infrastructure.
He said another N118 billion was committed to constructing five-kilometre roads in 38 local government areas to improve connectivity across the state.
According to him, the government also awarded contracts worth over N6.8 billion for the construction of Kano State Neighbourhood Watch security divisions in 36 local government areas.
He added that rural infrastructure projects covering education, healthcare and other social interventions across the 44 local government areas account for contracts valued at more than N397 billion, while other ongoing projects have a combined value of about N255 billion.
Commitment to transparency
The commissioner said the Ministry of Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation would continue to ensure compliance with due process and technical standards in the execution of government projects.
He said the ministry’s mandate includes monitoring projects to ensure value for money and prudent utilisation of public resources.
According to him, the administration’s investments in infrastructure are intended to improve mobility, strengthen security, expand access to education and healthcare, improve water supply and stimulate economic growth across the state.
Ibrahim Khalil
The Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosque in Okene, Kogi State, Sheikh Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, has cautioned Muslims against allowing football and other forms of entertainment to distract them from the primary purpose of their existence, which he said is the worship of Allah.
Delivering his Friday sermon titled, FIFA World Cup Match: Allah Did Not Create Us, The Universe, For Idle Sport, Amusement, Or Play!, the cleric reminded Muslims that while Islam permits lawful recreation, it must never overshadow religious obligations or become the central focus of a believer’s life.
Quoting several verses from the Qur’an, Imam Gusau said Allah created mankind for a clear purpose and not for amusement or idle pursuits.
He cited Qur’anic passages, including Surah Al-Anbiya (21:16), Surah Al-Mu’minun (23:115), and Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:56), to emphasise that the ultimate purpose of human existence is to worship Allah and prepare for the Hereafter.
The Islamic scholar explained that recreation is permissible in Islam when it helps refresh the mind and body for acts of worship and productive living. He referenced traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), including his encouragement of archery and his tolerance of lawful sporting activities.
However, the cleric expressed concern over what he described as the commercialisation and globalisation of football, arguing that modern international competitions have evolved beyond sport into massive economic and ideological enterprises.
According to him, major tournaments are driven by powerful commercial interests involving broadcasting rights, sponsorships and advertising, which, he said, often promote values inconsistent with Islamic teachings.
Imam Gusau warned that excessive devotion to football clubs and players could lead to misplaced priorities, personality worship and unhealthy fanaticism.
He lamented that many young people now regard footballers as their greatest role models while neglecting scholars, innovators and other individuals whose contributions are more beneficial to society.
The cleric also criticised the promotion of gambling, alcohol advertising and other practices associated with some international sporting events, urging Muslims to remain vigilant and uphold Islamic values.
While acknowledging that physical exercise and sports are beneficial, he stressed that Muslims should engage in them within the limits prescribed by Islam and without neglecting obligatory acts of worship.
He called on Muslim youths to balance recreation with their religious and social responsibilities, urging them not to allow entertainment to define their lives or distract them from their ultimate purpose.
Imam Gusau concluded the sermon with prayers for peace, righteous leadership, the protection of Muslim communities worldwide, and relief for oppressed people, particularly those in Gaza.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Education Spending Index developed by the University of Paris.
KANO FOCUS reports that the ranking places Kano State first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across 15 ECOWAS member countries, underscoring the state’s growing reputation for prioritising investment in education.
According to the published index, Kano topped the rankings with an overall S-WAESI score of 87.21, outperforming other leading regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second Nigerian state on the list, ranking 16th overall.
The assessment evaluated states and regions using the S-WAESI (Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index) methodology, which measures government commitment to education through indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.
The methodology assigns 35 points to actual education spending, 25 points to spending per student, 20 points to budget execution, 10 points to education priority and 10 points to transparency.
The report indicated that Kano excelled largely due to its strong actual education spending and budget execution, making it the best-performing sub-national government in the region.
The ranking covered states, regions, districts and municipalities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.
Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) said the recognition reflects Kano State Government’s sustained investment in expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening educational planning and budget implementation.
KANO FOCUS reports that the achievement is expected to further boost the state’s profile as a leader in education reform within West Africa and provide additional momentum for ongoing efforts to improve learning outcomes across the state.
The latest ranking comes amid renewed attention on education financing across ECOWAS, with experts increasingly emphasising transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation and sustained public investment as critical drivers of quality education.
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Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
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Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
