It started like a slow-moving storm, scarcely drawing notice until the consequences became too enormous to ignore. In the months since May, more than a dozen cases of network outages have been reported across Nigeria.
A significant share of these disruptions is traced to deliberate fibre optic cable cuts. Thieves stripped towers of power cables, batteries, solar panels and generators, cutting banks and major industries out of critical communication.
This ruin follows the government’s investment to expand digital access in the country. Only recently, it invested over $1 billion to boost networks, expand 4G LTE coverage and stretch fibre optics across far-flung areas. The Attorney-General describes the loss as an “economic subversion,” but legal declarations alone are proving no match for this burgeoning crisis.
How can Nigeria minimise the sabotage of telecommunications infrastructure? There are several clues.
Some state leaders have taken a different approach, streamlining right of way policies and tightening security around critical infrastructure. This model makes it faster for telecom operators to expand their networks, thereby reducing the risk of sabotage.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communications Commission has opened new reporting channels, enabling ordinary citizens to share tips about suspicious activities. It was a call to see infrastructure beyond just a distant corporate property but also as something woven into daily life, worth guarding for the sake of connection to the wider world.
Partnerships between telecommunication companies and local communities have also yielded promising results. This has fostered a feeling of shared responsibility among communities, creating a who keep watch over telecommunications towers and watched This is the kind of ownership that no legal pronouncement could command but genuine partnership could inspire.
On the enforcement front, the tide is shifting too. Some jurisdictions are speeding up prosecution for telecom-related crimes, ensuring offenders face the courts within a short period of time. Security agencies like the DSS and civil defence corps have devoted the same degree of seriousness to telecom sabotage as with oil pipeline vandalism.
This proactive defence is shifting across the country. In several markets, raids are conducted to dismantle the resale channels for stolen batteries and solar panels, hitting the economic incentive at its root.
Amidst these changes, the citizens play the most prominent role in counteracting this trend by refusing to buy a ridiculously cheap battery, dialling the NCC call line in the event of suspected looting and keeping close watch on telecom infrastructure within their premises.
Nigeria has been facing numerous network outages since May, largely due to deliberate fibre optic cable cuts and thefts of power cables, batteries, and solar panels from telecom towers. This situation undermines the government's recent $1 billion investment aimed at expanding digital access through enhanced networks and extended fibre optics. In response to these challenges, some states have streamlined their right of way policies and bolstered security around crucial infrastructure, making it easier for telecom operators to expand their networks and thereby mitigating the risk of sabotage.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced new reporting channels for citizens to report suspicious activities, fostering a sense of shared responsibility tied to telecom assets. Additionally, partnerships between telecom companies and local communities have led to effective guardianship of the infrastructure. Legal mechanisms have also been enhanced, with faster prosecution for telecom-related crimes and increased attention from security agencies.
Proactive efforts include raids to shut down resale channels for stolen equipment, reducing the economic incentive for these crimes. The public plays a crucial role in this defense by refraining from buying suspiciously cheap stolen goods and reporting potential thefts to authorities. These combined efforts are integral to preserving Nigeria's telecommunications infrastructure.
