The Transmission Firm of Nigeria (TCN) has reported an increase in infrastructure assaults, disclosing that 42 vandalism incidents have been recorded within the first and second quarters of 2025, affecting a complete of 178 transmission towers throughout the nation.
Common Supervisor of Transmission Service at TCN, Mr Ali Sharifa disclosed this on Thursday in Keffi throughout a presentation on infrastructure vandalism at a workshop organised for Energy Correspondents.
In line with him, 2024 and 2025 have been essentially the most attempting occasions for TCN as a responsive public utility as a consequence of vandalism of its transmission line infrastructure by non-state actors.
“A complete of 86 towers have been vandalized in 2024, with 26 towers fully down, which left affected states in whole darkness.
“Whereas within the first and second quarters of 2025, a complete of 42 acts of vandalism have been recorded affecting a complete of 178 towers,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that moreover the actions of vandals, pure disasters additionally hindered the free movement of electrical energy to the grid, as TCN not too long ago recorded alongside Kainji-Birnin Kebbi 330kV SC (Worldwide) line.
“Six towers, T306, 1307, T308, T365, T366 and 1367 collapsed in Might as a consequence of a windstorm and torrential rainfall.
“In the identical Might, Apir-Lafia-Jos 330kV DC Line Tower T137 had a twist (partial collapse) as a consequence of windstorm and torrential rainfall,” he mentioned.
Sharifa mentioned that sabotage, political and {economic} causes have been chargeable for these acts of vandalism.
He listed the impact of TCN’s infrastructure vandalism to incorporate disruption of energy provide throughout the Nigeria Electrical energy Provide Business, because the generated energy from the era station couldn’t be wheeled to the distribution ends.
“Different results of vandalism embrace the increment of great prices by the corporate as a consequence of repairs, alternative and the necessity for elevated safety measures to handle vandalism.
“The corporate’s grid enlargement efforts are hindered by acts of vandalism to pay contractors’ invoices used on repairs.
“And there’s additionally the priority with public security each time transmission infrastructure is vandalised,” he mentioned.
He, nevertheless, mentioned that the corporate was reaching out to locals the place the transmission strains have been susceptible to vandalism, including that they have been additionally partaking with the Workplace of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) after a sequence of vandalism in 2024.
“TCN reached out to ONSA for the safety of susceptible transmission strains in opposition to vandalism.
“Some essential strains have been chosen as pilot schemes for which state-of-the-art know-how will probably be deployed to observe and deter future vandalism.
“Sensitization and sponsored programmes, jingles on each social and print media, together with radio and tv stations in opposition to vandalism of TCN property, are reaching far and large as Nigerians at the moment are totally knowledgeable that TCN property is their property,” he mentioned.
Sharifa mentioned that sensitization had led to the arrest of vandals who have been now going through prosecution.
In February, the Federal Authorities introduced plans to have interaction communities throughout Nigeria in efforts to curb the rampant vandalism of electrical energy property, a serious reason behind grid collapses.
In November 2024, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, attributed frequent grid collapses to vandalism and lack of upkeep up to now.
