The Federal Government has spent a staggering N88 billion to repair and restore vandalised power transmission towers across Nigeria between 2021 and 2025, according to new disclosures by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The awareness event drew together key community leaders, representatives from security agencies, religious figures, and industry stakeholders, aiming to confront the rising menace of infrastructure vandalism and its impact on Nigeria’s national electricity grid.
According to Onabajo, vandalism of power infrastructure has consistently undermined TCN’s mission to deliver stable electricity to every Nigerian community. He lamented that the continuous diversion of funds toward repairs, rather than expansion and development, hampers the company’s goals.
“Between 2021 and now, the Federal Government has spent over N88bn on vandalism-related repairs. This is not just financially draining; it compromises our ability to expand and stabilise electricity supply nationwide,” Onabajo stated.
He described the damage as “deliberate and selfish sabotage,” calling on citizens to unite in protecting national assets critical to daily life and economic development.
Adding to the conversation, Mojeed Akintola, General Manager of Transmission (Lagos State), gave real-world examples of the devastating economic toll caused by vandalism. He highlighted an incident in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where ten towers were vandalised, leading to a downtime of over three months.
“That particular line cost TCN over N1 million daily for repairs. If you multiply that over 90 days, the losses become clearer. That’s just one incident,” Akintola revealed.
He noted that every incident delays power restoration to the affected communities, some of which suffer prolonged blackouts while infrastructure is being rebuilt from scratch.
In response to the crisis, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Police Force have pledged closer collaboration with the TCN and communities.
A.J. Dokunmu, Divisional Officer of the NSCDC, stated that the Lagos State Government has created a monitoring agency for scrap dealers and dumpsite operators, a move designed to track the illegal trade of dismantled transmission materials, often sold as scrap.
Similarly, DPO Fatoberu Oyekan of Ogijo Police Division, advised the TCN to engage local vigilantes as a supplement to state security operations, encouraging communities to “see TCN infrastructure as their property” and remain vigilant.
Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, Baale Joseph Giwa of Ladegboye in Ikorodu criticised the TCN’s maintenance culture and claimed that government interference often hinders community-led efforts to deter infrastructure abuse.
“If we are to protect these facilities, then the TCN and government must also prioritise routine maintenance and give communities the support and legal authority to act,” Giwa said.
He urged TCN to allocate more resources towards preventive maintenance, security systems such as surveillance, and local employment for guards to secure infrastructure around their areas.
Reacting to the national trend of infrastructure sabotage, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has appealed to the National Assembly to enact tougher laws against power infrastructure vandalism. He advocated for stiffer penalties, including longer jail terms and the seizure of assets of convicted vandals.
In 2024 alone, the TCN reported that N8.8 billion was spent on repairs across the country, suggesting that the trend has intensified recently, posing a major threat to Nigeria’s national grid stability.
As Nigeria continues its ambitious drive toward uninterrupted 24/7 power supply, the rising threat of vandalism presents a serious obstacle. With over N88bn lost to repairs, the call for community action, policy reform, and infrastructure security has never been more urgent.