When cell phone and internet services collapsed across nine Nigerian states earlier this summer, millions of subscribers were thrown offline. The culprit, officials said, was not a system upgrade or natural disaster but vandalism.

Across Africa’s most populous country, the destruction of telecom infrastructure has become a recurring nightmare for operators. From jihadist groups seeking to cut off communications to cable thieves and vandals targeting substations for generators, diesel, and batteries, the threats are multiplying.

Industry insiders now fear that such incidents like the June blackout triggered by the vandalisation of a fibre-optic cable in Lagos’s upscale Lekki district will become more frequent as Nigeria’s economic crisis deepens, driving theft and pushing up repair costs.

“Users don’t know the outages are due to acts of vandalism; they just blame the poor network,” said Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).

Costly Disruptions

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recorded at least 50,000 major cases of telecom infrastructure destruction between 2018 and 2022. MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest operator, reported over 6,000 fibre cuts in 2023, costing the industry an estimated $23 million in repairs. Airtel, Nigeria’s second-largest provider, says it suffers about 40 cases of vandalism daily.

In rural areas, where mobile phones are the only link to family, banking, or emergency services, fibre cuts can leave entire communities disconnected for days.

The stakes are high: Nigeria’s digital economy contributed nearly 18% of GDP in late 2024, yet small traders, students, commuters, and mobile money users often bear the brunt when networks collapse.

Stolen Batteries Powering Homes

As households and businesses increasingly turn to solar power amid electricity shortages, telecom substations have become prime targets. Batteries, often resold as inverter units, as well as generators and diesel, are regularly stolen.

“Batteries from substations end up in people’s homes and offices as second-hand inverter batteries. Generators and diesel are not safe either,” Adebayo said.

In response, telecom firms are now installing trackers on generators and batteries to deter theft.

Security Classification and Risks

In 2023, President Bola Tinubu signed an executive order classifying ICT systems and infrastructure as critical national assets, placing them on the same security level as military bases and hospitals.

Still, risks remain. In its 2024 annual report, international telecoms giant IHS Holdings flagged fuel theft, policy uncertainty, corruption, and deteriorating infrastructure as major threats to business continuity in Nigeria.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has also warned: “Any disruption has far-reaching implications for service delivery, economic stability and national security.”

Beyond Vandalism: Extortion and Labour Disputes

Telecom firms are also contending with extortion and community resistance. In some areas, residents demand unofficial “ground rents” before allowing access to substations. Labour disputes add another layer of pressure: in July, a strike threat by the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria which supplies diesel to telecom stations had to be defused at the highest levels of the security services.

With demand for connectivity growing and infrastructure under siege, Nigeria’s telecom sector faces a stark challenge: protect its backbone or risk further service collapses with nationwide consequences.