The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed it spent a staggering N8.8 billion this year to repair and restore transmission towers destroyed by vandals and bandits across the country. This was disclosed at the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting held in Abuja.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Suleiman Abdulaziz, represented by the Executive Director of Transmission Service Provider, Olugbenga Ajiboye, stated that a total of 128 towers had been affected between January and November 2024.
“As of today, 128 of our towers have been destroyed by either vandals or bandits. To date, we have spent about N8.8 billion to restore them to full functionality,” Ajiboye said.
Despite the arrests of several suspects, TCN expressed frustration with the prosecution process. According to Abdulaziz, arrested vandals are often charged with theft rather than vandalism, which allows them to secure bail.
“It is disheartening that each time these vandals are apprehended and handed over to the police, their cases are recorded as theft instead of vandalism. This legal technicality makes them eligible for bail. If charged with vandalism, they would not be released so easily,” Abdulaziz lamented.
The issue has also forced TCN to employ unconventional measures to ensure the restoration of transmission lines, especially in volatile areas. Abdulaziz highlighted the challenges contractors face in regions like Shiroro, Mando, and Kaduna.
“When the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers were destroyed, we had to deploy full military escorts for our contractors to restore the lines. In some instances, contractors were only allowed to work for two hours daily due to safety concerns,” he added.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, represented by his Chief Technical Adviser, Adedayo Olowoniyi, shared insights into ongoing collaborative efforts to improve electricity access in the country. He disclosed that Nigeria is set to benefit from a World Bank and African Development Bank-led project, “Mission 300,” aimed at providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
“Nigeria, with its large population, will benefit 50 million people from this initiative. The Compact document will be signed by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Tanzania in January 2025,” Olowoniyi said.
The vandalism of critical infrastructure continues to pose a significant challenge to Nigeria’s power sector. However, government initiatives like “Mission 300” aim to improve electricity access, signaling hope for better energy distribution in the years to come.
