Briefing Note : Acts of vandalism and third party works that disrupt the electricity service

Yaounde, 28 April 2025- Eneo Cameroon strongly condemns acts of vandalism and tampering with the electricity network which are increasingly having an impact on the service in various areas.

One of the most recent incidents is the theft of a series of insulators from the distribution network between Nkol-Afamba and Nkolmeyang on the outskirts of Yaounde."This problem has been going on for almost 5 to 6 months now. For quite some time now, vandals have been felling Eneo poles with silent chainsaws. And we're left in the dark. We've also had people setting bush fires near the poles, knocking them down. And we're asking why, when farming, these people can't just clean up around the poles to prevent the fire from spreading to the pole. When all this happens, it's the people who suffer. We know the tremendous work these children (Eneo's employees) are doing. Every time we see them crossing the road in their pick-up trucks, looking for where the fault is",says Beyene Mengue, a resident of Nkolfamba.  

These types of acts have been recorded on the network in the following areas in recent weeks:

Towards Mfou, poles were felled down and equipment stolen 

• In Nja-et-Lobo, the Meyomessala and Zoetele Sub-Divisions have been badly affected. More than 3,000 insulators have been stolen between 2022 and 2025 in more than 10 localities (Messock, Nkolyob, Nsimi, Nkongmekang
• In the Sanaga Maritime Division in Makondo, Ntoumba
• In the Ocean Division in Bipaga
• In the Nyong and Kelle Division in Mbotmakak
• In Maroua, electricity distribution boards were vandalized and subsequently  stolen.

300 million CFA francs were spent to reconstruct 3 lines that were vandalized in the Nja-et-Lobo Division 

"Every time a line is vandalized, Eneo's technical teams must deploy emergency resources to reconstruct the line to its original condition, in order to reconnect these localities. Reconstruction work is tedious, time-consuming and costly. Take, for example, the reconstruction of sections of the network that had just been rehabilitated to power Nkong-Mekak, Nkol Ebo and Nkomo in the Nja-et-Lobo Division, at the cost of nearly 300 million CFA francs. This is money that would have been used to provide electricity to so many localities that until now have lived in the dark",explains Jean Jacques Ntock, Eneo's Technical Delegate in the South and Mbalmayo Region.

Stolen equipment is often used to construct fraudulent networks

In addition to these intentional and criminal acts, road construction and public works vehicles often disconnect underground cables. There is the act of tampering with the network by bogus electricians in neighbourhoods where they extend and operate illegal networks misleadingly called Songloulou. Apart from causing service disruptions, these illegal networks are very often the cause of fires and accidents, some of which are fatal.

These acts are an avoidable cause of the sometimes prolonged power outages, alongside other causes regularly cited, such as generation shortfalls, incidents on the transmission or distribution networks, or planned works. While working with other actors in the electricity sector to contain these structural causes, Eneo Cameroon is calling on everyone to be aware of the need to protect existing networks.

Eneo is working with public authorities to step up vigilance and counter all forms of vandalism and fraud. Communities are urged to collaborate by reporting the perpetrators of these acts. "Electricity is something we all share. We must protect it. As a municipal councilor and representative of the people, I pledge my support. We're going to do everything we can to curb these acts by raising awareness among the population. I intend to hold a meeting in the next few days with traditional authorities who are the focal points in their communities. We are going to work to put a stop to this so that we can all benefit from this electricity", declared the Mayor of Nkolafamba, Jean François Ondigui Owona.

About Eneo Cameroon S.A.
Eneo Cameroon is the driving force in the electricity sector and a major growth vector in Cameroon. It's mission is to provide reliable energy and quality service, while positioning itself as a model of governance in Africa. Building on the values of Integrity, Cohesion, Respect and Commitment, since 2014 the company has safely connected more than 1 000 000 new households and industries. With an estimated workforce of 3 600 employees, Eneo Cameroon is a public-private partnership company that generates and distributes energy in Cameroon.

For more information about the company go to: www.eneocameroon.cm

MAROUA, Tableau vandalisé puis volé

Ligne vers Mfou

Douala , Engin de BTP déterre câble souterrain

MEYOMESSALA, Poteau desarticulé. Isolateurs volés . Dans le Nja et lobo ce sont 3000 équipements de ce type volés en 3 ans dans plus de 10 localités. Avec des cas de répétition sur certaines lignes nouvellement rehabilitées comme à Nkongmekak et à Messock en 2025.