Nigerian minister, Tijani appointed co-chair of ITU advisory body for SCR

By Seun Johnson

Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani has been appointed as Co-Chairman of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience.

The Advisory Body is primarily constituted to serve as a platform for international collaboration, uniting governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders and other key stakeholders to enhance the safety, redundancy and protection of submarine cables.

While announcing the appointment on his X handle, Tijani revealed that Submarine cables which form the backbone of global internet connectivity, have come under increased focus due to their vulnerability to physical damage and cyber threats.

According to him, the ITU’s initiative aims to address these concerns by fostering a multi-stakeholder approach to improving the resilience of subsea fibre-optic cables.

Expressing his excitement about the new role, the minister reiterated the significance of the advisory body in safeguarding global digital infrastructure, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening submarine cable networks, especially in light of the recent challenges faced by the country due to cuts and damages to its subsea cables.

He said, “This appointment underscores Nigeria’s active advocacy towards ensuring resilience in global digital infrastructure, particularly with respect to subsea fibre-optic cables, which is an area we are particularly invested in, considering our recent challenges with cuts to our submarine cables.”

As the Advisory Body gets down to work, Tijani further noted that it will focus on developing strategies to mitigate risks to submarine cables and ensure that global communications networks remain robust in the face of growing threats.

He said the appointment marks a significant milestone for Nigeria in the international telecommunications landscape, solidifying the country’s role in shaping the future of global connectivity.

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