Telecom infrastructure theft is increasing in Nigeria, with new data showing that 656 generators and batteries were stolen from network sites in 2025.
Figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show 152 generators and 504 batteries were taken within the year and the rate has not reduced since then.
In the first two months of 2026, operators reported 64 stolen batteries and 17 generators.
At the same time, other forms of vandalism are increasing, with cable theft climbing fast. There were 160 cases in January 2026, up from 74 in the same month last year.
February followed a similar pattern, with 151 cases compared to 73 a year earlier. Diesel theft is also widespread, with 222 incidents recorded between January and February.
These losses are hitting network operations. Service disruptions are becoming more frequent, especially in states such as Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, the FCT, Kaduna, Niger, Osun and Kwara.
Operators in the industry say the damage goes beyond stolen equipment. Fibre optic cables are also under stress.
The NCC recorded about 1,100 fibre cuts in 2025 and in January 2026, incidents jumped steeply to 40, from just four cases in December. That jump alone shows how quickly the problem is growing.
Fibre damage affects more than phone calls. It interrupts banking services, emergency response systems and internet access. In many cases, repairs take hours or even days, leaving users offline.
The financial cost is heavy. A standard 15 KVA generator costs about ₦3.5 million. When hundreds are stolen in a year, operators face replacement costs running into billions of naira. On top of that, they spend more on security, monitoring and repairs.
Speaking on the situation, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, said the attacks are slowing progress across the industry.
“These acts of sabotage have significantly disrupted network services, causing widespread connectivity blackouts leading to degradation of services and severely impacting millions of subscribers.
“These are not mere materials, but they are the backbone of our digital economy, security systems, and national communications grid,” he said.
Operators say they have continued to invest in network upgrades, but theft and vandalism are holding them back. Equipment being targeted includes power cables, rectifiers, fibre lines, diesel generators, batteries and solar systems.
A telecom consultant who spoke to Nairametrics, Adewale Adeoye, said the scale of the losses means operators must do more to protect their assets.
“If you are spending billions to build infrastructure, you also have to spend money to secure it.
“While this should not have been the case in an ideal situation where the government is responsible for security of lives and properties, years of continuous attacks and thefts have shown that the government cannot be relied upon.
“So, the telecom operators have to up their game in protecting their facilities,” he said.
The Federal Government had earlier moved to protect the sector. In August 2024, Bola Tinubu signed the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order. The law makes it a criminal offence to tamper with telecom infrastructure.
Officials say the policy is meant to protect investments and strengthen the digital economy. However, the growing number of thefts reveals enforcement is still a challenge.
In February 2026, the NCC and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps warned contractors and individuals against damaging fibre cables during construction. They said such actions now carry criminal penalties and promised stricter enforcement.
Even with those warnings, telecom theft, among other incidents, are still increasing in Nigeria.
