A commercial dispute between IHS Towers, a major telecom infrastructure provider, and the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), escalated by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), threatens to disrupt telecom services across Nigeria. On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, NUPENG and NOGASA blocked diesel access to IHS-operated depots in Kaduna, Lagos, and Koko (Delta State), endangering over 16,000 telecom sites powering networks like MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile, as well as critical services for banks, hospitals, and security agencies, per Independent Newspaper Nigeria. The blockade, linked to allegations by IHS that two NOGASA-affiliated companies misappropriated diesel stocks, has sparked fears of a nationwide telecom blackout, with the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) labeling it a “serious threat to national security” due to telecom infrastructure’s status as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under Federal Government Gazette No. 133, 2021.
NOGASA, through Secretary General Tunde David, denied misappropriation claims, accusing IHS of breaching contracts and owing payments for supplied diesel, asserting that the blockade protects members’ businesses and jobs. NUPENG President Prince Williams Akporeha rejected ALTON’s blackmail accusations, stating the union only advised members to avoid the dispute for safety, not block depots. ALTON Chairman Engr. Gbenga Adebayo urged dialogue over “brigandage,” calling for intervention by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Department of State Services (DSS) to prevent a crisis impacting 140 million Nigerians. The National Association of Telecom Subscribers (NATCOMS) urged Minister of Communications Dr. Bosun Tijani to escalate the issue to President Bola Tinubu, warning of economic devastation, with Nigeria’s telecom sector contributing 14.4% to GDP (₦14.8 trillion in 2024, per NBS).
Compounding the crisis, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida reported 1,100 weekly fibre optic cuts, 545 site access denials, and 100 theft incidents, costing billions and disrupting services, as highlighted at the CNII Conference in Lagos on August 7, 2025. Despite July 2025 court interventions and reconciliation attempts, no resolution has been reached, with IHS alleging NOGASA President Comrade Benneth Korie orchestrated the blockade to pressure settlement of commercial claims. X posts from @SaharaReporters (August 7, 2025) echoed ALTON’s concerns, while @Naija_Activist criticized NOGASA’s tactics as economic sabotage, reflecting public alarm over potential service disruptions.
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