Gas Suppliers Hit Back in Telecom Power Dispute

The battle over fuel supplies to telecom towers has deepened, as Nigeria’s gas suppliers accuse operators of twisting facts and dodging debts.

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) has strongly rejected claims made by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON). The dispute stems from a breakdown in the relationship between telecom infrastructure giant IHS Towers and two NOGASA member firms — a row that has disrupted diesel supplies to telecom sites in Lagos, Delta, and Kaduna.

According to NOGASA, ALTON’s public statements were misleading and failed to address outstanding payment issues. The association accused telecom companies of being “economical with the truth” and urged them to settle debts instead of “blackmailing suppliers.”

Telecom Operators Warn of Service Threat

ALTON, led by its chairman Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, had earlier sounded the alarm over the crisis. In a statement, the group said it had “credible reports that members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and NOGASA… 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.”

The telecom operators linked the blockade to ongoing investigations into allegations of diesel misappropriation against two NOGASA member companies. They warned that the standoff threatened the operation of some of 16,000 telecommunications sites nationwide — facilities that power mobile and internet services for millions, and underpin banking transactions, emergency response systems, hospital communications, and national security.