Telecommunications operators in Nigeria are facing rising infrastructure theft, with data from the Nigerian Communications Commission showing that 656 critical power assets were stolen from telecom sites nationwide in 2025.

The figures include 152 generators and 504 batteries, heightening concerns over network reliability and service quality. The problem also extends beyond these assets, with widespread reports of cable vandalism and diesel theft across the sector.

Despite the Federal Government of Nigeria designating telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure to strengthen protection, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission shows that theft has continued into 2026, with reports indicating an even broader scale of incidents.

In January and February 2026 alone, 64 batteries and 17 generators were stolen from telecom sites nationwide, continuing the pattern seen in the previous year. Cable and diesel theft have also remained widespread.

In January 2026, 160 cases of cable theft were recorded, significantly higher than the 74 cases reported in the same period of the previous year.

In February, 151 cases of cable theft were reported, compared to 73 in the same period last year. Diesel theft also remained a major concern, with a total of 222 incidents recorded between January and February 2026.

The trend highlights a continuing deterioration in telecom infrastructure security across Nigeria, despite earlier efforts to curb vandalism and theft.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, said the rising attacks on telecom infrastructure are creating a major setback for the industry, with operators struggling to maintain service quality amid recurring asset losses.

According to him, operators have continued to make efforts by investing in network optimisation and capacity upgrades, in line with Federal Government policy interventions introduced last year to support the sector’s sustainability in Nigeria.

However, he noted that persistent theft and vandalisation of equipment have significantly slowed down progress that would otherwise have been achieved, acting as a major setback for the industry.

He stressed that critical network components—including power cables, rectifiers, fibre optic and feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries, and solar systems—are being routinely stolen or vandalised at active telecom sites, disrupting service delivery across the country.

“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.

The issue of equipment theft further compounds the challenges facing telecom operators, who are still dealing with a rising number of fibre cuts.

Earlier this year, Nairametrics reported a sharp surge in fibre optic cable damage in January 2026, with incidents increasing by 900 per cent compared to the previous month, according to official data in Nigeria.