By Airtel Nigeria is grappling with a severe problem of cable theft, as company representatives revealed that they experience a cable cut every six minutes. This alarming rate of vandalism is significantly disrupting network operations and increasing maintenance costs.
Industry expert Owoeye highlighted that many vandals mistakenly believe all black cables contain valuable copper, leading to reckless destruction. He stressed that this misconception is causing unnecessary damage to telecom infrastructure across the country.
To tackle the issue, Owoeye proposed a three-pronged approach: public reorientation, stricter enforcement, and proactive prevention strategies. “We need to educate local communities in their native languages about the consequences of vandalism,” he explained.
He further called for harsher legal penalties to deter offenders. “Strict legal measures, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced,” he said, emphasizing the need for a firm stance against cable vandalism.
As a proactive measure, Owoeye suggested creating a dedicated fund to support awareness campaigns nationwide. To lead by example, he pledged N500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and urged other stakeholders to contribute. “This is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution,” he stated.
Experts at the discussion agreed that protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure requires collaboration between industry players, government agencies, and local communities. They called for stricter policies, active stakeholder engagement, and long-term solutions to secure the sector’s future.
