🇳🇬 Nigeria Moves to Protect Telecom Lifeline After Fuel Supply Threat

 

Nigeria’s telecom regulator has urged citizens to see communications infrastructure as a shared national asset, warning that fuel supply disruptions could cripple connectivity, economic stability, and national security.

Zig Diaries Economy
Date: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Time: 09:00 WAT
Location: 📍 Abuja, Nigeria

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) stepped in alongside the Office of the National Security Adviser to avert a strike that could have cut diesel supplies to thousands of telecom sites, exposing the sector’s reliance on fragile fuel logistics.

Nigeria’s $75 billion telecom industry came within days of a massive service disruption after the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria threatened to halt diesel deliveries over supply disputes. With much of the nation’s 40,000+ base stations dependent on generators amid erratic grid power, such an action could have left millions without voice and data access.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu warned that any prolonged outage would ripple across the economy: “Telecommunications infrastructure is the backbone of our connectivity and digital economy. Any disruption has far-reaching implications for service delivery, economic stability, and national security.”

NCC Chief Executive Officer Aminu Maida emphasised that protecting telecom assets requires joint responsibility from operators, security agencies, and the public. He urged Nigerians to treat the network as “a shared national asset” that underpins business transactions, healthcare, education, and social connections.

The NCC’s mediation not only forestalled a shutdown but also drew attention to the sector’s heavy reliance on over 40 million litres of diesel monthly. Industry analysts say a transition to solar-hybrid systems could cut operators’ fuel bills in half while reducing emissions, with the GSMA projecting significant long-term cost savings.

Fact-Check & Background Context:
Nigeria’s telecom network, one of Africa’s largest, connects over 220 million active SIM lines. 

With grid power often unreliable—outages can last hours or days—operators rely on diesel generators to keep base stations running. 

The NCC’s mediation avoided a potential shutdown, but the incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in a fuel-dependent economy.

🏷️ Tags: Nigeria, Telecom, NCC, Fuel Supply, Diesel, Infrastructure, National Security, Aminu Maida, Nuhu Ribadu
#ZigDiariesEconomy #NigeriaTelecom #NCC #NationalSecurity #FuelCrisis #TelecomInfrastructure