Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has been appointed as co-chair of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) advisory body on submarine cable resilience. This global initiative aims to address the growing concerns over the vulnerability of submarine cables, which carry more than 99% of the world’s international data, forming the backbone of global communication and economic activities.
In a statement posted on Saturday via his X account, Tijani emphasized that the advisory body will serve as a platform for international collaboration, bringing together governments, regulators, industry leaders, and other key stakeholders. The focus will be on enhancing the safety, redundancy, and protection of these critical subsea cables.
Tijani will co-chair the advisory body alongside Prof. Sandra Maximiano, Chair of ANACOM’s Board of Directors. The group’s two-year mandate will commence on November 1, 2024. The minister highlighted that this appointment underscores Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring the resilience of global digital infrastructure, particularly in the area of subsea fibre-optic cables.
“This is an area we are particularly invested in, considering our recent challenges with cuts to our submarine cables,” Tijani noted.
As global reliance on stable, high-speed internet continues to grow, the ITU stated that the advisory body will promote dialogue and collaboration among governments, regulators, and industry experts. Minister Tijani and Maximiano will lead efforts to provide strategic guidance on improving the resilience of submarine cable systems, which are increasingly susceptible to natural disasters and accidental damage.
The ITU also announced that the nomination process for advisory body members is open until October 15, 2024, through its official nomination form.
