SSDC advocates protection of Nigeria’s infrastructure

The Security Skills Development Company has released a new policy report calling for a coordinated national approach to protecting Nigeria’s Critical National Infrastructure.

In a statement on Thursday, SSDC made the call at its inaugural Thought Leadership Roundtable held in Lagos.

The report, titled ‘A New Strategy for Protecting Nigeria’s Critical National Infrastructure’, draws on insights from seasoned experts in national security, engineering, law, and private-sector security. It highlighted the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s infrastructure systems against vandalism, cyberattacks, sabotage, weak enforcement, and poor maintenance culture.

At the roundtable, speakers noted that Nigeria continues to suffer significant losses due to persistent attacks on telecom fibre lines, oil and gas pipelines, and power transmission assets.

According to industry data referenced in the report, more than 1,000 fibre cuts occur nationwide every month, while multiple national grid collapses have been recorded in recent years, often linked to vandalism and insufficient system resilience.

Key contributors at the session included security analyst Dennis Amachree, security expert Mike Igbodipe, engineering professional Jide Kumapayi, legal expert Babatunde Osadare, and security trainer Collins Onyewuchi.

They collectively stressed the need for a unified national framework for CNI protection, stronger stakeholder accountability, and deeper collaboration between government agencies and private operators.

The report also identifies emerging cyber risks as a growing threat. It notes that financial systems, digital government services, and telecom networks are increasingly being targeted by sophisticated attacks, underscoring the need for stronger cybersecurity capacity and enforcement.

Among its recommendations, SSDC calls for the formal adoption of a National Critical Infrastructure Protection Framework, improved legal enforcement against vandalism, wider deployment of technology-driven surveillance tools, and increased investment in predictive maintenance systems. It also highlights the need for public awareness, community engagement, and better intelligence sharing among security agencies.

According to SSDC, the roundtable is part of a bimonthly series designed to influence policy reforms and strengthen Nigeria’s security ecosystem. The company noted that subsequent editions will explore issues such as the role of the private sector in national security and improving human capital capacity within the industry.