Mobile network operators in Nigeria lost critical telecom infrastructure worth billions of naira in 2025, as theft of power-related equipment surged across the country. The Nigerian Communications Commission reported that over 650 power assets, including generators and batteries, were stolen, disrupting base station operations. These components are vital for maintaining network uptime, especially in areas with unstable grid electricity. The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) described the situation as an existential threat to the sector. ATCON President Tony Emoekpere stated that operators are now operating in a defensive posture, deploying more security personnel, reinforcing site enclosures, and adopting remote monitoring systems. Some companies are redesigning base stations to use integrated hybrid power systems to deter theft. Despite these measures, even solar-powered infrastructure is being targeted. Collaboration has increased among ATCON, the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to improve intelligence and response. Operators are spending more on protecting infrastructure than expanding it, affecting long-term growth. Service disruptions, including call drops and slow data, have worsened, particularly in rural areas where outages can be total. Emoekpere noted that losses amount to billions of naira annually, with consumers facing poorer service and potential future cost implications.
Tony Emoekpere's warning that telecom operators are in a defensive crouch reveals a sector under siege not by competition or regulation, but by widespread criminality that has turned base stations into easy targets. The fact that over 650 power assets were stolen in 2025 alone shows a systemic failure to protect infrastructure that underpins Nigeria's digital economy—infrastructure designated as critical yet left vulnerable.
This crisis is not just about crime; it reflects deeper governance gaps. Even with legal frameworks classifying telecom assets as critical, enforcement remains weak, allowing theft to persist unchecked. The shift toward hybrid and solar systems—now also being looted—proves that technological fixes alone cannot outpace organized theft. ATCON's admission that more money is being spent on security than expansion signals a dangerous redirection of capital away from growth and innovation.
Ordinary Nigerians are paying the price through deteriorating network quality, especially in rural areas where a single stolen generator can cut off entire communities. Urban users face congestion and dropped calls, while consumers indirectly absorb costs through reduced investment and potential future price hikes.
This is not an isolated issue—it mirrors a broader pattern where critical national infrastructure, from power lines to rail tracks, is routinely stripped for scrap due to weak enforcement and accountability.
