The Transmission Company of Nigeria has raised the alarm over the persistent destruction of its infrastructure, revealing that a total of 264 high-voltage transmission towers have been vandalised across the country in 18 months between January 2024 and June 2025.
According to the agency, the attacks, fueled by sabotage, political motives, and economic incentives, have plunged entire regions into darkness and significantly derailed efforts to improve the national electricity supply, which reached 8,701 megavolt-amperes of transformer capacity.
The General Manager, Transmission Service Provider at TCN, Ali Sharifai, disclosed this on Thursday at a media workshop for energy correspondents in Nasarawa State.
He described 2024 and 2025 as “the most trying period” in the company’s operational history due to incessant vandalism by non-state actors.
“Year 2024 and 2025 have been the most trying times for TCN as a responsive public utility due to vandalism of its transmission line infrastructure by non-state actors. A total of 86 towers were vandalised in 2024, with 26 towers completely down, which left the affected states in total darkness.
“This vandalism spans across Abuja, Bauchi, Enugu, Shiroro, Kano and Port Harcourt regions while in the first and the second quarters of 2025 alone, a total of 42 acts of vandalism were recorded affecting a total of 178 towers. We have lost 264 towers to vandalism within 15 months, with widespread implications on power supply across the country,” Sharifai said.
A breakdown of the figures shows that 86 towers were vandalised in 2024, with 26 completely destroyed, affecting transmission in Abuja, Bauchi, Enugu, Kano, Shiroro and Port Harcourt regions.
In the first half of 2025 alone, 178 towers were affected across 42 separate incidents, with the highest number recorded in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano regions.
He explained that in the Abuja region, 4 acts of vandalism were recorded in 2025, with 11 towers affected. While the Enugu region recorded two acts of vandalism with 16 towers affected, the Kano region recorded 8 acts of vandalism with 29 towers affected, and the Lagos region recorded 5 acts of vandalism with 9 towers affected.
In the Osogbo region, 2 acts of vandalism were recorded, with 3 towers affected. The Port Harcourt region recorded 17 acts of vandalism, with 72 towers affected. He added that the Shiroro region recorded 2 acts of vandalism with 3 towers affected, while the Kaduna region recorded 2 acts of vandalism with 35 towers affected.
The agency linked the motives behind the destruction to three major factors, sabotage, politics and the booming scrap market.
He cited repeated attacks on the Shiroro-Katampe and Ajaokuta-Gwagwalada 330kV lines, as well as the 132kV underground line at Abuja’s Central Area, as evidence of politically driven vandalism.
“Shiroro-Katampe and Ajaokuta-Gwagwalada 330kV lines and 132kV underground line cable at the Central Area were vandalised, with their effect of putting the FCT to nearly total blackout.
“In areas like North-East and South-South part of the country, sabotage is the main reason for vandalising of TCN towers as a result of insurgency and youth restiveness. But in areas like PortHarcourt, a combination of sabotage and economic reasons may not be ruled out,” Sharifai explained.
In Kano and Makurdi, he noted, economic incentives appear to be the main driver.
“There is a growing scrap market across the country. Materials stolen from our lines are sold and recycled with ease,” he added.
Aside from vandalism, the TCN said natural disasters have also impacted its operations.
In May 2025, six towers collapsed along the Kainji-Birnin Kebbi 330kV line due to windstorms and torrential rains. Another tower on the Apir-Lafia-Jos line partially collapsed the same month.
The TCN boss said vandalism has disrupted power flow from generation companies to distribution points, resulting in increased costs for tower repairs and slowing down the pace of national grid expansion.
“Due to disruption of power supply across NESI, as the generated power from generation station cannot be wheeled to the distribution ends. TCN incurs significant costs due to repair, replacement and the need for increased security measures to address vandalism.
“TCN grid expansion efforts are hindered by acts of vandalism as monies to pay contractors’ invoices are used on repairs.
“We are diverting funds meant for grid expansion to emergency repairs. This slows our ability to pay contractors and worsens the electricity supply challenges we are trying to solve,” Sharifai said.
An analysis showed that the company may have spent a total sum of N18.14bn to repair the vandalised towers if each tower was replaced at the cost of N68,700,000.
In response to the crisis, TCN said it has stepped up collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and state governments to protect its assets.
According to the agency, a pilot scheme involving the deployment of high-tech monitoring systems on critical lines has begun, while public awareness campaigns are being ramped up nationwide.
“We are engaging host communities and collaborating with state authorities to create ownership around these assets. Our partnership with Borno and Yobe has resulted in zero vandalism on key lines,” Sharifai noted.
“Through our media sensitisation and collaboration with security agencies, some vandals have already been arrested and are now facing prosecution,” he added.
The agency appealed for stronger community vigilance and urged citizens to report suspicious activities around transmission towers.
“If you see something, say something. These assets belong to Nigerians. Protecting them is a shared responsibility,” Sharifai said.
(Punch)
