The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) has directed its members to resume petroleum product supplies to telecom tower operator HIS and other telecom companies, following a temporary suspension over unpaid debts running into billions of naira.
NOGASA’s National President, Bennett Okorie, announced the decision at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, stating that the resumption was prompted by interventions from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Both agencies assured the union that the debt dispute would be resolved amicably from Monday.
The association had earlier halted supplies to IHS and other telecom operators, warning that the action could impact mobile network availability nationwide.
7-day ultimatum
Okorie said the suspension of service withdrawal will last for seven days, during which suppliers are to provide 24-hour deliveries to help restore fuel stock levels at affected sites.
“Interventions by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Communications Commission (NCC) assured us that the issue will be resolved amicably from Monday.
“In the interest of energy security and Nigerians, we have resolved to resume our services immediately at the affected depots,” he said, adding that if the debts remain unpaid within the given period, members will withdraw services without further notice.
Backstory
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) had on Thursday raised an alarm that over 16,000 telecom base stations might shut down in the coming days as members of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and NOGASA had blocked access to diesel loading depots across three states.
- According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the Association, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, the affected states include Kaduna, Lagos, and Delta.
- The body noted that the action had prevented the distribution of diesel to thousands of telecom sites operated by IHS Towers, one of Nigeria’s largest telecommunications infrastructure providers.
“This action, reportedly stemming from allegations by IHS of diesel misappropriation against 2 member companies of NOGASA and which is being investigated by the 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,” ALTON stated
ALTON in the statement had called on the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and other key stakeholders to urgently intervene to prevent a potential nationwide communications blackout.
