Telecom Firms lose billions to rising Infrastructure theft

Nigeria’s telecom operators are incurring billions of naira in losses due to a surge in infrastructure theft, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, which shows that over 650 power-related assets were stolen in 2025.

The stolen assets include generators, batteries, and other essential power equipment used to keep base stations running, especially in areas with unreliable electricity supply.

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria said the growing scale of theft has escalated from operational challenges to what it described as an existential threat to the telecom sector.

ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, noted that operators are increasingly adopting defensive strategies to safeguard infrastructure.

“Operators are responding, but largely in a defensive mode,” he said, citing a mix of enhanced physical security, technology deployment, and redesigned power systems.

Rising security measures

Operators have stepped up efforts by deploying security guards, collaborating with local vigilante groups, reinforcing base station facilities, and expanding the use of remote monitoring systems to detect tampering in real time.

There is also a shift toward integrated and hybrid power systems to reduce reliance on easily removable components, although even solar-powered infrastructure is now being targeted by vandals.

Industry stakeholders, including the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, are strengthening collaboration to improve intelligence sharing and response.

Service disruption

The impact of the theft is already evident in declining network performance, with operators reporting frequent site shutdowns.

“When you lose generators and batteries at that scale… sites go down,” Mr Emoekpere said, noting that outages lead to increased call drops, poor voice quality, and slow or unavailable data services.

While urban areas may reroute traffic to mitigate disruptions, this often results in congestion. In rural areas, infrastructure losses can lead to complete service blackouts.

Economic strain

ATCON warned that the financial burden runs into billions annually, with operators currently absorbing most of the costs.

“We are spending more to protect infrastructure than we should, and that is not sustainable,” Emoekpere said.

He added that consumers ultimately bear the impact through degraded service quality and potential increases in service costs.

Call for enforcement

Despite telecom infrastructure being designated as critical national infrastructure, the association said enforcement remains weak.

It called for stronger action to treat telecom theft as economic sabotage, alongside increased arrests, prosecutions, and clampdowns on markets where stolen equipment is resold.

ATCON stressed that without decisive intervention, the cycle of theft and service disruption could undermine Nigeria’s digital economy.