A dispute over diesel supply between telecom tower manager IHS Towers and the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) is threatening to disrupt telecom services across Nigeria, potentially affecting over 16,000 base stations in Lagos, Kaduna, and Delta states.
The conflict began after IHS accused two NOGASA member companies of misappropriating diesel meant for powering telecom base stations, triggering investigations by relevant authorities.
In response, NOGASA countered that IHS is deflecting attention from its repeated breach of contracts and outstanding payments for diesel already supplied.
NOGASA maintains that it would not resume supply until overdue payments are settled.
As tensions escalate, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and NOGASA have blocked access to diesel loading depots, preventing distribution to IHS Towers’ sites.
This has caused alarm among telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile, represented by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
ALTON described the blockade as sabotage and a serious threat to national security, warning that the shutdown could disrupt mobile and internet services vital to millions, as well as banking, hospitals, emergency services, educational institutions, and national security operations.
ALTON stressed that telecommunications infrastructure is classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under Nigerian law, meaning deliberate disruption could attract strict legal consequences.
The group called on all parties to embrace dialogue and resolve the dispute without further harm to essential services.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs) has urged the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to escalate the matter to President Bola Tinubu for swift resolution to prevent a nationwide telecom blackout.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also raised concerns about the ongoing attacks on telecommunications infrastructure, highlighting the fragility exposed by the diesel supply dispute, alongside frequent fibre optic cable cuts and theft incidents.
The dispute underscores the critical dependency of Nigeria’s digital and essential services on steady diesel supply and the urgent need for conflict resolution to safeguard national communications stability.
