NCC, Judiciary Strengthen Collaboration On Protecting Digital Infrastructure As Cyber Risks Grow

The Nigerian Communications Commission has stressed the growing importance of judicial understanding of telecommunications and digital safety issues as Nigeria deepens its reliance on digital infrastructure for economic growth, security and public services.

Speaking at a workshop for judges in Lagos on Thursday, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, represented by Rimini Makama, said telecommunications infrastructure had become critical national infrastructure, making its protection central to the country’s digital future.

Maida said the increasing dependence on digital platforms had brought new legal challenges around cybersecurity, online harms, digital identity, consumer protection and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which require stronger collaboration between regulators and the judiciary.

According to him, “Today, telecommunications infrastructure has assumed the status of critical national infrastructure, underpinning economic growth, financial systems, national security, public safety and citizen engagement.”

He added that incidents involving vandalism of telecom assets, cyber threats and disputes around infrastructure deployment have made it necessary for judges to develop a deeper institutional understanding of the sector’s legal and regulatory framework.

The workshop, organised by the National Judicial Institute in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission, was themed “Adjudicating in the Digital Era: The Judiciary’s Imperative in Connectivity, Infrastructure Protection and Online Safety.”

Commenting, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the judiciary must adapt to the realities of a fast-evolving digital society, in which courts increasingly handle disputes involving cybercrime, data governance, online misconduct, and regulatory oversight.

She noted that as governance, commerce, education and financial transactions become more dependent on digital connectivity, courts can no longer treat technology-related cases as peripheral issues.

According to her, “the Judiciary cannot remain detached from these developments. The law must respond to changing realities while preserving the principles that sustain justice and social order”

Similarly, Kekere-Ekun further said that judicial decisions are essential to shaping Nigeria’s digital legal architecture, stressing that regulatory agencies must align their operations with court rulings to ensure legal certainty and reduce conflicts.

She said the courts are increasingly being called upon to address issues ranging from digital fraud and privacy violations to misinformation and cyber accountability, all of which demand legal precision and technological awareness.

Meanwhile, the workshop comes amid increasing concerns over attacks on telecom infrastructure and the broader challenge of securing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem as the country pushes for greater broadband penetration and digital inclusion.