The standoff between gas suppliers and telecom operators has intensified, with the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) accusing telecom firms of twisting the facts over a diesel supply dispute.
The row centers on allegations by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) that diesel deliveries to thousands of telecom base stations were disrupted this week, threatening mobile and internet services across the country. ALTON claimed the blockade was linked to an ongoing investigation into supposed diesel misappropriation involving two NOGASA member companies and telecom infrastructure giant IHS Towers.
In a statement, ALTON warned that the shutdown could affect vital services such as banking, hospital operations, emergency communications, and national security.
But NOGASA’s leadership insists the real issue is unpaid bills, not theft. Secretary General Tunde David dismissed the telecom operators’ claims as misleading, accusing them of using “blackmail” to avoid settling debts for services already provided.
According to David, IHS owes substantial payments to the suppliers involved, and their decision to halt deliveries was simply a way to protect their businesses and employees’ livelihoods. He argued that linking the dispute to national security was a deliberate distraction from the company’s failure to pay.
NOGASA also took aim at what it described as the “imperial” conduct of foreign-led management teams, warning that overseas business practices must align with Nigerian laws and ethics. “Enough is enough,” David declared. “Once our fees are paid, operations can return to normal.”
The association stressed that the matter was strictly between NOGASA and IHS, while members of the petroleum workers’ union NUPENG were only involved out of concern for the safety of workers at the depots.
The dispute adds to growing concerns about the stability of Nigeria’s telecom sector, which relies heavily on diesel to power infrastructure in areas with unreliable electricity. If the impasse continues, industry insiders warn, service disruptions could spread.
