The Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian PropTech company Oikus, Israel Ihaza, has advocated for stronger protection of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, warning that damage to fibre-optic networks could increasingly undermine economic activities and essential public services.
Ihaza said the country needed to begin treating digital infrastructure with the same seriousness attached to physical infrastructure.
His appeal came against the backdrop of data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which said more than 5,000 fibre-cut incidents were recorded in the first six months of 2026, largely as a result of road construction, excavation and other civil works.
Ihaza stated this during an interview on a popular television yesterday while discussing the growing incidence of fibre cuts across the country.
“Imagine the Lagos roads were blocked, meaning that there’s pothole disruption here and there. Do cars still exist? Yes. Is there going to be flow? Yes. But what happens immediately is no movement.
“So this is how we should see the digital infrastructure because it powers the current digital economy that we’re in today”, he added.
According to him, the growing dependence of businesses and public institutions on connectivity means that damage to fibre networks should no longer be regarded simply as a telecommunications problem.
“It powers businesses, it powers healthcare facilities, it powers the banking sector,” he gave further insight.
Ihaza said the impact becomes more apparent when considered at the level of ordinary businesses and consumers.
He cited the example of market operators relying on point-of-sale terminals, noting that the disruption of connectivity could affect both the operators and customers waiting to make transactions.
“Imagine we have, like, 20 local market owners that deal with POS, and these 20 POS are not working, and they have lined up people. That is complete disruption,” the techprenuer further stated.
He also identified remote workers as another group increasingly exposed to the consequences of poor connectivity, noting that many Nigerians now depend on digital infrastructure to work and access opportunities.
The Oikus CEO said protecting the country’s digital infrastructure would require more than enforcement. He called for greater public awareness and coordination among government agencies, telecom operators, construction companies and citizens.
He said the public needed to understand that fibre-optic cables, although less visibly dangerous than electrical infrastructure, carry services that have become critical to everyday life.
“Once it’s electricity, everybody’s scared. But fibre optic cable looks harmless and people don’t run from it,” he gave context.
Ihaza also urged Nigerians to report suspicious excavation or activity around telecom infrastructure to the appropriate operators and authorities.
His position is consistent with the NCC’s current emphasis on stronger coordination between telecom operators, road contractors, engineers, government agencies and security authorities. The Commission has said telecommunications infrastructure has become a critical national lifeline supporting banking, education, healthcare, commerce, security and emergency communications.
Ihaza’s professional work at Oikus has focused on the use of technology, data and digital systems to address structural problems in Nigeria’s property market. Public interviews have also established him as a commentator on technology, data, infrastructure and the changing business environment.
For him, the protection of digital infrastructure is therefore part of the broader challenge of building an economy that increasingly depends on digital connectivity.
“We need to understand the importance of this infrastructure to ensure that the economy and our livelihoods are running as they should,” he declared.