By Paul Chimodo
Telecommunications stakeholders in Nigeria have called for the adoption of a “Dig-Once” policy to curb the rising cases of fibre cuts affecting network quality across the country.
The operators made the call at a policy forum in Lagos, where industry players reviewed persistent infrastructure damage that continues to disrupt services and increase operational costs.
They argued that repeated excavation of roads for separate fibre installations by different operators is a major cause of network downtime and urged a coordinated approach to infrastructure deployment.
Under the proposed Dig-Once framework, fibre ducts would be installed during road construction or rehabilitation, allowing multiple operators to share infrastructure and reduce repeated digging.
Stakeholders also noted that the policy would help improve broadband expansion, reduce service interruptions, and support Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
Industry players further stressed that better coordination between government agencies, road contractors, and telecom operators is necessary to reduce fibre cuts and improve service reliability across the country.
