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.

This was revealed during the inaugural Rural Connectivity Summit organised by Business Metrics, in Lagos, where Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), stressed that connectivity is far more than speed, it’s about economic inclusion.

“The accurate measure of connectivity is not in megabits per second, but in the economic value it creates or loses,” said Dr Aminu Maida, whose keynote address was delivered by Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the NCC Lagos Office.

At the event, themed “Rethinking Digital Connectivity to Unlock Rural Economic Potential,” he described connectivity as “an indispensable part of life,” noting that when it fails, “opportunities stop, and lives can be at risk.”

Dr Maida noted that despite progress, rural Nigeria is digitally invisible, with internet access still at 23% compared to 57% in urban areas. This gap, he explained, cuts off millions from modern education, markets, healthcare, and financial services, a situation he called “unacceptable and unsustainable.”

Research shows that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can drive 1.38% GDP growth in developing economies. However, Nigeria’s broadband penetration as of August 2025 stood at 48.81%, below its potential. 

While coverage has expanded, with 3G and 4G networks reaching 86.34%, usage and household access remain at 39.2% and 40.1% respectively.

Nigeria’s ICT Development Index (IDI) score also exposes this imbalance. At 52.9, the country ranks 137th out of 164 economies, following far behind the global average of 77.6 and Africa’s 56.1.

To tackle these challenges, Dr Maida outlined NCC’s ongoing initiatives through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The Fund has financed over 2,500 educational projects and delivered 100,000 computers to schools nationwide.

One unique project is the Emerging Technology Centre at Ogun State Institute of Technology, where more than 9,000 students now have access to digital tools for innovation.

Beyond education, the USPF’s e-Health Project connects rural clinics to larger hospitals for remote consultations, while the e-Accessibility Project provides persons with disabilities with assistive technology. 

To ensure sustainability, the NCC has also launched the Impact Alliance, a partnership network involving private sector players, civil society, and international bodies, to co-invest in inclusive connectivity.

In response to the sabotage of telecom infrastructure, Dr Maida highlighted the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order, signed by the President in June 2024, empowering law enforcement to protect telecom assets. 

“Our advocacy has led to 11 states offering zero charges for right-of-way permits,” he said, adding that 70 others have aligned with the national benchmark of ₦145 per linear metre.

The Commission has also been working with mobile network operators, global partners like GSMA and the World Bank, and the Office of the National Security Adviser to safeguard telecom assets and promote affordable broadband deployment.

“We stand at a strategic crossroads. The global digital race is accelerating, and we must act decisively to ensure our youth are creators, not consumers, of digital value,” Dr Maida said.

He urged governors to support right-of-way reforms, operators to speed up rural rollouts, and communities to protect telecom infrastructure. “These assets are their bridge between backwardness and global relevance,” he stated.

With over 45% of Nigeria’s population still living in rural areas, the NCC wants digital inclusion to go beyond policies, it is a national strategy for growth.