Telcos Record Over 3,200 Equipment Thefts, Fibre Cuts Threaten Broadband Rollout

Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have reported more than 3,200 cases of equipment theft alongside nearly 20,000 instances of fibre cuts between January and August 2025, figures revealed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show. These incidents are threatening the country’s broadband expansion goals and causing serious disruptions in telecom service delivery.

Presenting the data during a telecom-industry roundtable in Abuja, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman emphasised that the high number of thefts and vandalism is rapidly turning into a national crisis. He noted that base stations, fibre optic cables, generators, and backup batteries are being routinely targeted by organised criminal networks, insiders, and vandals, significantly raising maintenance costs for operators.

According to the report, over 19,000 cases of site access denial were also recorded during the same period. In many instances, technicians are denied entry into sites for maintenance or repair, either due to local conflicts, encroachment, or uncooperative community members. Industry players warn that this pattern is contributing to prolonged outages, dropped calls, slowed internet speeds, and general service instability.

The NCC highlighted that these sabotage incidents carry substantial economic and social costs. With connectivity critical for digital banking, e-commerce, education, health services, and national security, widespread infrastructure damage threatens to erode confidence in digital platforms and slow Nigeria’s digital economy growth.

Speaking at the event, the NCC boss described the country’s telecom infrastructure as Nigeria’s “digital backbone,” arguing that failure to secure it risks undermining service delivery across multiple sectors. He noted that under the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) designation—part of the Cybersecurity Act—telecoms assets now have legal protection. However, enforcement has lagged behind the rate of disruption.

Operators also drew attention to steep rises in operating expenses induced by these repeated breaches. Frequent replacement of damaged fibre, deployment of security measures at towers, repair of stolen equipment, and delays caused by access denial have all pushed up costs. Some operators are reportedly forced to allocate a larger percentage of revenue to security and repairs than initially budgeted.

The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has stepped forward with proposals to reduce the incidence of theft and vandalism. Among the suggested measures are equipping removable infrastructure parts—batteries, generators, and site power backup units—with GPS trackers, community-based monitoring structures, stiffer legal penalties for offenders, and improved public awareness of the impact of vandalism.

ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo underscored the importance of stricter punishment for offenders: “When stolen components become easily sold in open markets, demand remains high, and theft continues. A market crackdown is as essential as physical security at sites.”

In response, NCC said it has ramped up collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and law enforcement agencies to ensure sabotage and theft are treated as security threats. The Commission also promises stricter enforcement of technical and site maintenance standards, regulatory monitoring, and increased prosecution of offenders.

One innovative response highlighted is the use of technological tracking. Telecom operators are now fitting site generators, battery banks, and other removable assets with electronic trackers to help trace and recover stolen equipment. These efforts are still in early phases, but industry leaders believe they show promise in deterring theft.

Right-of-way (RoW) issues also continue to pose challenges. Many of the fibre cuts are allegedly caused by road construction and utility work that proceeds without proper coordination with telecom operators. The resulting accidental damage or intentional removal of infrastructure typically requires lengthy restoration efforts and incurs additional costs and downtime.

Local community relations are another complicating factor. In many rural and urban fringes where operators are building towers or deploying fibre, community mistrust or lack of awareness has resulted in theft, vandalism, or deliberate obstruction of site access. Industry stakeholders suggest intensified community engagement and benefit sharing as part of the solution.

Telecommunications infrastructure protection is now emerging as a key policy priority. Under the CNII framework, deliberate damage to telecom assets is criminalised, with penalties prescribed under the Cybersecurity Act. Despite this legal backing, however, there have been complaints of slow legal processes, inconsistent prosecution, and insufficient deterrents for would-be offenders.

The required investments to secure infrastructure are not trifling. Operators are now budgeting large sums for physical security upgrades—walls, fencing, surveillance cameras, guards—as well as for replacing stolen or vandalised parts and repairing cuts. Analysts warn that if theft and vandalism continue unabated, service costs to consumers may rise, or investment in network expansion may slow.

Broadband rollout targets set by Nigeria’s Telecom policy, which rely on strong, resilient infrastructure, are under threat. Delays in restoring disrupted networks, losses in revenue, and extra cost burdens reduce incentives for further investment, particularly in marginal or rural areas with weak infrastructure.

 

In conclusion, the wave of more than 3,200 equipment thefts, almost 20,000 fibre cuts, and numerous site access denials in the first eight months of 2025 represents a serious strain on Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. The telecom industry has urged stakeholders—including government, security agencies, communities, and regulatory bodies—to adopt a collaborative and multi-pronged approach. Without decisive action to secure telecom infrastructure, the country risks losing ground in its digital ambitions, facing degraded service delivery, higher costs, and slowed broadband expansion.