By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor
The Electricity Act 2023 (amended 2025) has introduced stringent penalties for vandals of electricity facilities in Nigeria.
Individuals found guilty of vandalizing power infrastructure may face life imprisonment if their actions cause significant disruption to electricity supply, endangering life, personal safety, or public order.
The Act, which aims to curb the increasing vandalism of power infrastructure, ensuring a stable and reliable electricity supply for consumers, states: “Any person who unlawfully or with intent to destroy, vandalize, damage, or render non-functional any electricity infrastructure or assets within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, including but not limited to generation plants, transmission lines, towers, substations, transformers, distribution networks, meters, or any associated equipment, commits an offence.
“For the purposes of this Bill, “electricity infrastructure or assets” includes both public and private property essential for the generation, transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity.
“Any person who commits an offence of vandalism under this Bill shall be liable on conviction where the act of vandalism causes significant disruption to electricity supply endangering life, personal safety, or public order, to imprisonment for a term not less than ten (10) years but not exceeding life imprisonment, without the option of a fine.
“Where the act of vandalism causes substantial economic loss or prolonged disruption to electricity supply, to imprisonment for a term not less than ten (5) years but not exceeding ten (10) years, without the option of a fine.
“In any other case, to imprisonment for a term not less than three (3) years but not exceeding five (5) years, or a fine of not less than Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00), or both such fine and imprisonment.”
It states: “In addition to any penalty imposed under subsection (1), the court may order the forfeiture of any tools, vehicles, or equipment used in the commission of the offence, and may also order the convicted person to pay compensation for the damage caused.”
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