N12.4bn NCC Fine Is a "Symptom Fix," Not a Solution for Nigeria’s Telecom Failures — Oracle Expert Warns

Oracle engineer Sheriff Adepoju warns that NCC's N12.4bn fine on telcos requires "recovery engineering" to truly solve Nigeria's network failure crisis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 24, 2026, 7:05 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Sun Nigeria

The Limits of Punitive Regulation

The Nigerian Communications Commission's (NCC) decision to impose a N12.4 billion sanction on telecommunications operators for service breaches has been met with skepticism by industry experts. While the fine aims to enforce standards following a directive from the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, technical specialists argue that penalties alone are insufficient. Sheriff Adepoju, a Senior Software Engineer at Oracle, stated in Abuja that while fines punish past failures, they do not provide the structural "recovery engineering" required to prevent future outages.

Defining the Missing Link: Recovery Engineering

According to Adepoju, the critical deficiency in Nigeria’s telecom sector is the lack of a structured process for restoring services efficiently after disruptions. Telecom networks are frequently hit by fiber cuts, power instability, and equipment glitches. "Recovery engineering is the combination of tools, processes, and trained responses that ensure disruptions are detected early and resolved safely," Adepoju explained. He warned that without these automated systems, the industry remains stuck in a cycle of reactive repairs and vague customer communication.

Data Demand Outpacing Infrastructure

The urgency for technical reform is underscored by the NCC's latest data, which reveals an explosion in digital demand. Monthly mobile data usage in Nigeria soared from 518,000 terabytes in early 2023 to over 1.23 million terabytes by November 2025. Furthermore, broadband penetration has reached 50.58%, with approximately 109.6 million subscriptions recorded by December 2025. This massive reliance on connectivity for financial transactions and remote work means that prolonged outages now carry severe national economic consequences.