Stolen generators, batteries threaten Nigeria’s digital economy

Telecom companies in Nigeria are facing a serious problem as theft of their equipment continues to increase. New data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that 656 key power assets were stolen from telecom sites in 2025.

This includes 152 generators and 504 batteries, a situation that is affecting network quality and causing service disruptions for users.

The problem is not limited to generators and batteries alone, as there have also been many reported cases of stolen cables and diesel.

Despite the government declaring telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, the trend has continued into 2026.

In January and February 2026, 64 batteries and 17 generators were stolen. Cable theft also increased sharply, with 160 cases recorded in January and 151 in February. Diesel theft was also high, with 222 incidents reported within the same two-month period.

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said the growing attacks are slowing progress in the telecom sector.

He explained that operators have been investing in improving their networks, but theft and vandalism are damaging these efforts.

He noted that important equipment such as power cables, fibre optic cables, generators, batteries, and solar systems are being stolen or destroyed.

According to him, these incidents have led to network outages and poor service, affecting millions of subscribers across the country. States like Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Osun, Kwara, and the FCT have recorded high levels of such attacks.

A telecom consultant, Adewale Adeoye, said the repeated theft of equipment is costing operators billions of naira every year. He explained that a typical base station runs on a 15 KVA generator, which costs about ₦3.5 million.

With hundreds of generators and batteries stolen, the replacement cost is very high.

He added that telecom companies need to invest more in protecting their infrastructure rather than relying solely on the government.

The situation is made worse by increasing cases of fibre cuts. In January 2026, fibre damage rose sharply from 4 cases in December 2025 to 40 incidents, marking a 900 percent increase.

In 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed a law declaring telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, making it a criminal offence to damage or steal such equipment.

The Minister of Communications, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the policy was meant to protect investments in the sector, but theft and vandalism have continued.

The NCC and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have also warned that damaging telecom cables during construction is now a criminal offence.

Despite these efforts, telecom theft remains a major challenge, disrupting services, increasing costs for operators, and threatening Nigeria’s growing digital economy.