Nigeria’s mobile network operators are absorbing billions of naira in losses as theft of critical telecom infrastructure intensifies, with regulatory data showing more than 650 power-related assets were stolen in 2025, underscoring rising risks to the country’s digital backbone.
The figure, disclosed by the Nigerian Communications Commission, covers stolen generators, batteries, and other power equipment essential to the operation of base stations across the country, where unreliable electricity supply makes off-grid power systems central to network stability.
The body report that the scale of theft has shifted the challenge from operational disruption to what it described as an existential threat to the sector.
The stolen equipment forms a critical part of base station operations, particularly in a country where unreliable grid power makes diesel generators, batteries, and hybrid systems essential to maintaining network uptime.