By Usman Aliyu

Going into labour in Benin City, Edo, Grace Osagie anticipated calling her husband, but unexpected phone issues left her completely isolated from him when she needed him most.

Nine months pregnant, she repeatedly tried to make calls, but the mobile network was unavailable.

Unable to reach her husband or obtain medical assistance by phone, she eventually relied on a passerby for help.

Osagie attributed the outage to a dispute involving youths in her community who allegedly demanded money from operators of a nearby telecommunications site, leading to the shutdown of its base station.

What should have been a routine call for assistance became a frightening reminder of what happens when communication infrastructure fails at a critical moment.

For Rahmat Saadu, a computer analyst in Abuja, the consequences were professional. A disruption to fibre-optic and mobile connections prevented her from delivering work to an international employer before a deadline, threatening an income dependent on reliable internet access.

In Benin City, investigative journalist Jethro Ibike could not upload a report after a telecommunications site reportedly lost power following the theft of diesel and inverter batteries.

In Enugu, a surgeon, Dr Emeka Nwosu, could not reach a consultant during a medical emergency, an experience he attributed to fibre-optic cable vandalism.

These four accounts, drawn from engagements with the individuals, illustrate how damage to telecommunications infrastructure can extend far beyond a broken cable or stolen battery.

The consequences can include delayed medical assistance, lost income, failed business transactions and interrupted access to essential services.

As Nigeria becomes increasingly dependent on mobile communications and internet connectivity, infrastructure vandalism is no longer merely an operational problem for telecommunications companies. It is a public safety, economic and development concern.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed in August that more than 5,000 fibre-optic cable-cut incidents were recorded nationwide in the first half of 2026, many linked to road construction, excavation and related civil works.

NCC Chief Executive Officer, Aminu Maida, warned that damaged cables could result in failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services and missed opportunities.

Maida urged contractors, telecommunications operators, government agencies and regulators to coordinate before excavation begins.

The problem extends beyond damaged fibre. Telecommunications companies also contend with the theft of generators, batteries, diesel, cables and other equipment needed to keep base stations operational.

NCC data reported in April showed that 656 power assets – 152 generators and 504 batteries – were stolen from telecommunications sites in 2025.

There were also 1,344 diesel-theft incidents and 49 cases classified as vandalism and sabotage. A further 64 batteries and 17 generators were reportedly stolen in January and February 2026.

The impact can be considerable. A stolen component may disable a site that depends on backup power during electricity outages, while damage to a fibre route can disrupt connectivity across several locations.

In Edo, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reported substantial damage to telecommunications infrastructure between 2024 and 2026.

Suleiman Mohammed, head of the Critical National Infrastructure Unit at the state command of the NSCDC, said MTN recorded more than 500 vandalisation incidents involving its facilities during the period. IHS recorded 350 vandalisation spots.

Mohammed said Airtel recorded a case involving damage to fibre-optic cables across 150 locations, affecting a route spanning approximately 300 kilometres during the period, attributing the damage to road construction.

The NSCDC boss advocated stronger collaboration, prompt reporting of vandalism and a “Call Before You Dig” approach to excavation.

For residents and businesses affected by outages, however, the distinction between a severed cable and a vandalised base station offers little comfort. The result may be the same: a failed call, a lost customer or an inaccessible service.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), identifies two major sources of damage: construction-related incidents and deliberate theft.

He cautions against assuming that every incident is intentional, arguing that much of the damage caused during road construction is avoidable through better coordination.

“No contractor of the government who is receiving a government contract will go with his flowers to go and remove or destroy infrastructure.”

According to him, damage often results from inadequate coordination rather than deliberate sabotage.

“Fibre-optic cables may run alongside water pipes, power lines and other underground utilities. Where accurate maps are unavailable or operators are not consulted before excavation, construction crews can sever cables without knowing what lies beneath the ground.”

Adebayo said the “Call Before You Dig” principle should become standard practice. Contractors should notify infrastructure owners before excavation, announce planned works and agree on protective measures or relocation where necessary.

He cited consultations with infrastructure stakeholders before some government projects in Lagos as a model that should be adopted more consistently across the country.

Deliberate theft presents a different challenge. According to Adebayo, vandals target diesel, batteries, cables and electronic components that can be sold, while people familiar with network infrastructure may collaborate with outsiders to steal equipment.

He also warned that insider sabotage and restrictions on access to telecommunications sites, including those arising from disputes over revenue collection, can interrupt services.

When engineers cannot reach a base station to maintain equipment or restore service, the disruption may spread to other locations dependent on it.

“The financial burden on operators includes replacing stolen equipment, repairing cables and deploying engineers. Resources that could have expanded coverage or upgraded networks are instead diverted to restoring damaged infrastructure.

“The money we would have used in expanding networks is what we are using to repair networks,” Adebayo said.

He added that operators must contend with unreliable electricity, fuel costs, backup power systems, logistics and security expenses.

Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, has similarly highlighted the cost of maintaining telecommunications services, citing power, fuel, replacement capital expenditure and recurring infrastructure damage among the pressures facing the industry.

“The consequences extend beyond operators. Repeated disruptions can undermine businesses that depend on connectivity and delay investment in underserved areas,” he noted.

For Saadu, the cost was work she could not deliver on time, resulting in the loss of a high-paying remote job. For  Nwosu, it was difficult to reach a consultant needed to carry out a successful surgical procedure. In both cases, damage to infrastructure elsewhere threatened livelihoods.

The National Association of Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs) has called on security agencies to intensify surveillance and tackle vandalism in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, valued at $76 billion.

Its president, Deolu Ogunbanjo, described the situation as worrying, particularly because telecommunications infrastructure has been designated Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

He cited the protection of oil and gas infrastructure by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited as a possible model for safeguarding telecommunications assets, warning that persistent attacks would continue to contribute to poor services.

The Federal Government’s 2024 CNII designation was intended to strengthen protection for critical telecommunications assets. Yet continuing reports of theft and cable damage suggest that designation alone has not resolved the problem.

Adebayo acknowledged efforts by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the NSCDC, the police and other stakeholders, including interventions in cases where landlords or communities blocked access to sites. He said prosecutions were being pursued in some cases but called for stronger enforcement.

“Where we have issues of wilful damage, if you damage it, you must fix it,” he said, advocating consequences for deliberate vandalism and damage caused by failure to follow established procedures.

The objective, he argued, should be not only to punish offenders after an outage but also to deter future damage.

Some of the most consequential losses do not appear on telecommunications companies’ balance sheets.

A failed call to a doctor, an emergency contact that does not go through, or a journalist unable to transmit a report may not be recorded as a direct cost of vandalism. Yet each can affect safety, income, access to information and public confidence.

Adebayo warned that persistent infrastructure damage could also undermine Nigeria’s digital transformation ambitions. Government digital services, online businesses and efforts to expand broadband access all depend on reliable networks.

“If you destroy communication infrastructure, it is as basic as destroying your own home economy,” he said.

Tobe Okigbo, MTN Nigeria’s chief corporate services and sustainability officer, also drew attention to government actions that can disrupt services, including restrictions on site access or interference during disputes over levies and revenue collection.

Adebayo advocates a “whole-of-society approach”, arguing that telecommunications infrastructure should be treated as a shared public interest because millions depend on it, even when privately owned.

“Communities can report suspicious activity around telecommunications sites, while buyers of used batteries, cables and other equipment can ask about their origin.

“Contractors should notify operators before excavation, and government agencies should ensure that public works are properly coordinated,” the ALTON chair said.

The NSCDC has similarly urged residents to report vandalism and theft promptly so security personnel can respond.

Mohammed said the “Call Before You Dig” initiative offers a practical way to reduce construction-related damage. But prevention must be matched by consequences for deliberate theft, sabotage and negligence.

For people whose lives are disrupted when a network goes down, these measures are not abstract policy proposals.

They can mean the difference between reaching help and being stranded, earning an income and losing an opportunity, or completing an urgent task and missing a deadline.

Osagie’s experience during labour captures the stakes most starkly. A mobile connection may seem like an everyday convenience until it becomes the only available means of reaching someone who can help.

As Adebayo emphasised, “Ownership, ownership, ownership” is key. Safeguarding the network is a collective duty; therefore, anyone causing intentional or preventable damage must be held accountable, and the infrastructure must be repaired immediately.(NAN)