The Federal Government has spent approximately N8.8 billion to repair and restore power transmission towers damaged by vandals and bandits across Nigeria.
This revelation came from the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engineer Suleiman Ahmed Abdulaziz, who was represented by the TCN’s Executive Director of the Transmission Service Provider (TSO), Olugbenga Emmanuel Ajiboye, at the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting in Abuja.
Abdulaziz explained that since January 2024, a total of 128 transmission towers have been destroyed either by vandals or criminal elements, severely impacting the nation’s electricity infrastructure.
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He lamented that despite efforts to apprehend the perpetrators, they often face minimal consequences.
“When the vandals are arrested and handed over to the police, they are typically charged with theft instead of vandalism, allowing them to be bailed and return to their criminal activities,” Abdulaziz said.
The TCN MD pointed out that in some cases, restoration efforts have been severely hindered due to security concerns.
He recounted a particularly difficult instance when the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers were destroyed, necessitating military escorts for restoration crews.
“We could only work for a few hours each day, and at times, security personnel told us it was too dangerous to proceed,” he added.
The escalating vandalism and subsequent damage to vital infrastructure are major hurdles in delivering consistent power supply to Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented by his Chief Technical Adviser, Adedayo Olowoniyi, spoke at the same meeting about ongoing collaborations with the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to expand electricity access.
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The Nigerian government aims to provide electricity to 50 million Nigerians by 2030 as part of a broader effort to extend power to 300 million Africans across the continent.
Adelabu highlighted that while grid extension may not be commercially feasible in some areas, alternative solutions such as solar systems and microgrids would be used to ensure that rural and underserved populations receive electricity.
The Minister also announced that the compact document for this mission would be signed by President Bola Tinubu in Tanzania in January 2025.
