The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) has ordered its members to resume diesel supply to telecom tower operators, following talks brokered by the Federal Government.
The association had earlier halted deliveries to the telecommunications sector over what it described as mounting debts owed by IHS Towers, one of the country’s largest tower managers.
NOGASA’s National President, Bennett Korie, announced on Saturday that the group was suspending its action for seven days to give room for the resolution of the dispute. He said the decision followed interventions by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who assured that the matter would be addressed from Monday, 11 August 2025.
“In the interest of energy security and Nigerians at large, we hereby resolve to resume our services immediately at the affected depots,” Korie stated after a meeting of the association’s National Executive Council. He warned, however, that if the matter was not resolved within the grace period, NOGASA would resume the withdrawal of services “without further notice.”
The association directed suppliers to work round-the-clock to make up for lost time. Korie also clarified that the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) was not part of the dispute, noting that their concern was only about the safety of members.
The row stems from allegations by IHS that two NOGASA member companies misappropriated diesel meant for powering telecom base stations — claims that are under investigation.
The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), in a statement signed by Chairman Gbenga Adebayo, criticised the blockade of diesel depots in Lagos, Kaduna, and Koko (Delta State) earlier in the week, warning that such disputes should be resolved through dialogue rather than “brigandage or brute force.”
Adebayo said the blockade posed a serious threat to the operations of thousands of telecom sites nationwide, which power mobile and internet services, and also support banking transactions, hospital communications, emergency responses, and national security.
The dispute had sparked concerns of a looming telecom blackout before the latest truce was reached.
