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In recent times, the media space in Nigeria has been awash with the disturbing stories of the theft of public infrastructure such as oil pipelines, power cables, telecommunication masts, road railings, streetlights, transformers, railways tracks, etc. The trend of theft has assumed a dimension that it now poses a serious threat to national security as it now cuts across all sectors in the country.
In the area of road and rail infrastructure, sometime last year, it was reported that vandals had tampered with the fittings in the newly commissioned second Niger Bridge located in Anambra state. In the same year, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrested 12 individuals vandalising railway sleepers and recovered two trucks carrying stolen sleepers in Nasarawa state.
In January 2025, a joint task force of security men from the Federal Capital Territory raided the Pantakers Market Dei Dei in the outskirt of Abuja and recovered lots of stolen sewage manhole covers. These manhole covers were apparently stolen from Abuja and its envions In a similar vein, the regular collapse of the national grid in recent times has been attributed to the activities of vandals who tamper with the critical infrastructures in the power sector.
According to a statement released by the Federal ministry of power late last year, it was reported that the activities of vandals who carted away conductors, underground cables, braces and other components of the transmission towers led to the collapse of 17 of the 63 towers across the country. The report also stated that between January and August of 2024, vandals plundered 63 transmission towers across the country.
The impact of this disturbing trend of vandalizing public infrastructures cannot be over emphasised. Since public infrastructure is the physical systems and institutions that support a nation. It can be categorised as hard or soft infrastructure. Hard infrastructure include: Transportation such as roads, bridges, railways, and tunnels. Telecommunications such as telecommunication equipment and gargets.
Energy such as equipment and gargets used in the production, storage, and distribution of power. Water such as pipes, taps and other insulations. However, soft infrastructure includes Healthcare such as hospitals, clinics and dispensaries. Education which includes systems that provide education services such as Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Monotechnics, research institutes, secondary and primary and Nursery schools. Financial services that provide financial services.
Emergency services such as Fire Service, Road Safety and other systems that provide emergency services. Law enforcement agencies such as security agencies. Parks and recreation which includes systems that provide parks and recreational facilities and critical infrastructure which are the assets that are essential for a country. This includes assets used for shelter, heating, telecommunications, public health, and agricultural facilities.
The trend of theft of infrastructure is worrisome when viewed against the background that Nigeria is one of the least infrastructural developed nations in the world. This constitute one of the criteria why it is classified as one of the developing nations in the world. Available statistics have shown that Nigeria ranks poorly in global infrastructure rankings, with a deficit that’s far below the World Bank’s standard. Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is projected to reach $878 billion by 2040.
Again, in 2019, Nigeria ranked 130th out of 141 economies in the Global Competitive Index Report for quality infrastructure. Besides, in 2024, Nigeria ranked 127th in the Global Innovation Index for infrastructure. Moreover, Nigeria’s infrastructure stock is only 30% of its GDP, which is far below the World Bank’s benchmark of 70%.
Nevertheless, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is due to a lack of maintenance, vandalism, and funding gaps. Given the already precarious state of infrastructure in Nigeria, and its consequences on the nation’s economic growth and development. It is pertinent to note also that Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has equally impeded the country access to electricity and has negatively affected the potential revenue generation for the government at every levels of governance.
It important to equally note that one of the challenges facing infrastructural development in Nigeria is the issue of theft. One sector of the Nigeria economy that has had its share of theft is the telecommunication sector. According to a report, Mobile Network Operators, InfraCos, and other Service Providers spent over N13 billion in 2022 alone to repair fibre cuts and other telecommunications infrastructure. This sum will increase to N14.6 billion by 2023. According to the same research, telecoms providers lost N12 billion in income in 2022 and 2023 owing to customer compensation, site relocations, and fibre resilience expenses.
The economic repercussions of cable theft are astounding. Telecom businesses cover the costs of repairing and replacing stolen wires, as well as the revenue losses experienced during service disruptions. These expenses eventually trickle down to customers in the form of higher service fees, resulting in an economic burden that spreads across society. Furthermore, the impact of cable theft goes far beyond the immediate financial losses suffered by telecom businesses. Disrupted communication services not only cause discomfort for customers, but they also impair critical operations for businesses, emergency services, and government. Consider a situation in which an urgent call for assistance or a time-sensitive commercial transaction is disrupted owing to a stolen cable; such interruptions might have serious implications.
Cable theft affects national economies. In an increasingly linked world that relies on flawless communication, any disruption in telecom services may stymie productivity, disrupt supply chains, and slow economic progress. Countries with a high frequency of cable theft may have a competitive disadvantage, discouraging foreign investment and innovation in telecommunications infrastructure. The blame game surrounding cable theft naturally calls into question telecom firms’ preparation and responsibilities, as their infrastructure is the major target for thieves. Despite being aware of the ongoing threat posed by cable theft, telecom providers have been chastised for a perceived lack of effective efforts to dissuade and prevent such crimes.
However, the power sector is equally not left out as millions of Nigerians are experiencing extended power outages as a result of large-scale theft of power infrastructure, exacerbating the country’s ongoing electricity crisis. Thieves have systematically targeted critical components such as transformers, cables, and conductors, leaving entire communities without power for days or weeks. Available statistics shows that theft remains one of the challenges facing the Nigeria power sector as most equipment targeted by thieves are usually expensive. For instance, current price of a 60mva cost about N1.2 billion, while a span of 132kv of our transmission line cost about 330,000 dollars.
Moreover, road infrastructure is also affected by theft in Nigeria. The SB Morgem Intelligence’s (SBM) report has identified insecurity and poor infrastructure as major challenges that make road travels unsafe for operators and passengers alike in Nigeria. Furthermore, the SBM report, which was captioned ‘Roads to Nowhere: A Bumpy Ride Through Nigeria’s Roads’, stated that “Nigeria’s roads are fraught with danger, from insecurity hotspots in Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, and Lagos to inconsistent police patrols and treacherous road conditions that have led to numerous accidents, underscoring the urgent need for improved security and infrastructure.” According to the report, despite significant annual appropriations for road building and maintenance, the country continues to have a chronic gap in the quality and quantity of its road infrastructure. It went on to say that the poor condition of Nigeria’s roads has put a tremendous strain on the economy, costing billions of Naira in lost productivity and resources each year and claiming countless lives in needless accidents.
Pipeline vandalism, oil theft, illicit processing, and insufficient investment appear to have combined to cut Nigeria’s oil output by 27.4% to 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd), excluding condensate, in July 2024, down from 1.9 million bpd in July 2014. However, vandalism and stealing of railway infrastructure is equally on the increase across the country.
Furthermore, the regular incursion and stealing of safety components at the airports are carried out by a syndicate, consisting of some workers of the agencies, who have access to the restricted areas and accomplices from outside. For instance, the Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed that the airfield lighting installed at the international runway of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMIA), Lagos, known as Runway 18R, has been stolen. The Nigeria seaport is also affected by theft. Security challenges in the Nigeria seaport, including cargo theft, piracy, and general lawlessness, persist at Nigerian ports. These security risks negatively affect port operations and increase the cost of shipping.
Recommendations
Given the situation of public infrastructural theft in Nigeria, the following measures are recommended to curb the incidence
- Close synergy between the security agencies and the public. Security agencies cannot achieve much in securing public infrastructures without the involvement of public. Government agencies in charge of public infrastructure must work closely with the relevant law enforcement agency such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Police to devise targeted tactics, exchange intelligence, and efficiently deploy resources in the fight against infrastructural theft.
- Public Education. The coordinated strategy between the security agencies and public should extend to public education and campaigns. Through the National Reorientation Agency (NOA) and the federal and state ministry of information, the public should be educated to understand that government properties belong to the public and is there to serve public interest. Through such means members of the public will be enlightened about the punishments for stealing public infrastructure. Public education can also help bridge the gap between regulatory compliance and law enforcement action, resulting in a more complete response to the infrastructural theft problem. For instance, the enforcement of Electricity Act of 2023 and other legislation is key in the fight against infrastructural theft. For instance, in the Electricity Act of 2023 it is stipulated that for the theft of electricity, a convicted offender of theft of electricity faces a fine, for a minimum of three years’ imprisonment, or both.
- Inter-agency Collaboration among the security agencies. There is no doubt that the involvement of multiplicity of security agencies in the protection of public infrastructures has in many instances affected the protection of infrastructures. The constant clash between the Nigeria police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corps has not helped matters. There is need for these agencies to close the gap of inter-agency rivalry and ensure adequate security for public infrastructures in Nigeria.
- Increased Government investment in the management and Protection of Public infrastructure. To aid the development of infrastructure in Nigeria will among other things involve the Nigeria government investment in planning, management, and sustainable practices that will enhance the development of the nation’s infrastructures. Again the government should equally partner with private sector and foreign investors to bring in capital and expertise in the nation’s infrastructural sector. Other measures include improving the management of infrastructure which will help to reduce the shortfalls in the sector by making better use of existing infrastructure facilities The adoption of best Practices for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) such as Vulnerability Assessments and Risk Analysis, Proactive Incident Response Planning, Network Segmentation and Access Control, Employee Training and Awareness Programs and Continuous Monitoring and Threat Intelligence remain a valid option.
By: Prof Ikenna Alumona