Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that the federal government spent approximately N88 billion between 2021 and 2025 to repair and restore power infrastructure damaged by acts of vandalism across the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that Seyi Onabajo, TCN’s Principal Manager for Lines in the Lagos Region, revealed this during a sensitisation event held at the Odogunyan 132kV transmission substation in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The Principal Manager lamented that funds which could have been used for system upgrades are being diverted to repair destroyed infrastructure.
According to Onabajo, the ongoing sabotage poses a serious threat to efforts aimed at ensuring a consistent power supply to Nigerian communities.
He urged residents to take ownership of public infrastructure by collaborating with TCN to secure power installations.
Describing vandalism as a calculated act for personal benefit, he noted that it disrupts electricity services and stalls national progress.
Mojeed Akintola, TCN’s General Manager in Lagos, also highlighted the economic impact, stating that each vandalism incident costs the company millions of naira and significantly delays repair timelines.
Using an example from Abeokuta, Akintola explained that the destruction of 10 towers required nearly three months of restoration, with the company incurring daily costs of about N1 million.
He added that bringing down damaged towers and rebuilding them from scratch often extends the downtime of affected areas.
Akintola called on communities, security agencies, and the general public to support TCN’s efforts to curb vandalism, emphasising that protecting power infrastructure is essential for a reliable electricity supply nationwide.
