Posted by Samuel on Fri 08th Aug, 2025 - tori.ng
However, NOGOSA in a swift response said IHS was deflecting attention to repeated breach of contracts and refusing to pay for accurate stock its members had supplied the tower managers.
A diesel supply dispute between telecom tower managers, IHS, and the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) is posing a threat to telecom services across the country.
The dispute, Vanguard gathered, arose from an allegation by IHS that two member companies of NOGOSA misappropriated its diesel stock and called for thorough investigations.
However, NOGOSA in a swift response said IHS was deflecting attention to repeated breach of contracts and refusing to pay for accurate stock its members had supplied the tower managers.
Meanwhile, telecom operators in the country, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile have cried out, through their umbrella body, the Association of Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, that over 16,000 of their base stations in Lagos, Kaduna and Delta states may soon shut down, as NUPENG and NOGOSA have blocked diesel access to IHS. The telcos said the action could put millions of telecom and banking customers out of services.
The shut-down may also affect hospitals, educational institutions and other sectors whose services depend on telecommunications backbone in those states.
ALTON, however, described the development as sabotage and a threat to national security, but NUPENG, and NOGASA accused the telecom associations of blackmail saying that diesel supplied should be paid for.
This came as the National Association of Telecom subscribers of Nigeria, NATCOMs, has called on the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani to escalate the conflict between the associations to President Bola Tinubu for a speedy resolution to avoid plunging the nation into telecommunications darkness.
Meanwhile, industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, raised alarm over relentless attacks on telecommunications infrastructure, revealing that Nigeria now records an average of 1,100 fibre optic cuts weekly, alongside 545 site access denials and nearly 100 incidents of theft.
IHS had alleged that the two members of NOGASA misappropriated the diesel meant for the services of telecom base stations.
The umbrella body of the telcos, ALTON, in a statement by its Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, said such disputes should be resolved with dialogue and not brigandage or brute force.
He said: “We have received credible reports that members of NUPENG, and NOGASA, on Tuesday, blocked access to diesel loading depots in Kaduna, Lagos, and Koko (Delta State), preventing the distribution of diesel to thousands of telecommunications sites operated by one of our key members, IHS Towers.
“This action, reportedly stemming from allegations by IHS of diesel misappropriation against two member companies of NOGASA and which is being investigated by requisite authorities, has resulted in a critical threat to the operation of some of the 16,000 telecommunications sites nationwide, servicing Mobile Network Operators.
“These sites not only power mobile and internet services for millions of Nigerians, but also support essential services such as banking transactions, hospital communications, emergency response systems, and national security operations.
“While ALTON does not necessarily interfere in disputes between its members and third parties, we are gravely concerned about the wider implications of this action on national infrastructure and public safety.
“We recognise and deeply respect the vital role NOGASA and NUPENG have played in sustaining Nigeria’s energy supply chain and supporting national development over the years, and we trust that they will continue to uphold these values by ensuring that their actions do not jeopardise critical national infrastructure or public welfare.
“We, hereby, request that uninterrupted access be granted to the diesel supply locations, and we urge all parties involved to embrace constructive dialogue to resolve the matter, without further disruption to essential services.
“We also remind all stakeholders that telecommunications infrastructure has been officially classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure, CNII, under Nigerian law. Any deliberate disruption or blockade that affects the operation of such infrastructure constitutes a serious threat to national security and economic stability and will attract strict legal consequences.
“We call on the leadership of NUPENG and NOGASA, our highly respected trade unions, to intervene by calling their members to order.
“Disputes must be resolved within the framework of lawful contracts and applicable legal processes, without resorting to actions that endanger the operations of an entire industry and the lives and livelihoods that depend on it.
“We call on relevant authorities, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and other critical stakeholders, to urgently intervene to forestall a looming nationwide communications blackout,” he added.