By Emmanuel Thomas l Saturday, Dec 13.25
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has acknowledged a severe degradation in telecommunications services across Abuja, the nation’s capital, directly impacting the quality of experience for millions of mobile subscribers.
The disruption has been traced to a critical shortage of diesel, the primary fuel source for powering essential telecommunication base stations in the region. This shortage, according to Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, NCC Head, Public Affairs is a result of actions taken by the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association (NOGASA), which has reportedly disrupted diesel supplies to sites.
The fuel bottleneck has specifically affected IHS Nigeria Limited, the crucial colocation provider responsible for ensuring continuous power to base stations operated by major carriers, including Airtel and MTN. Without diesel to run backup generators, the base stations have suffered widespread outages, leading to significant service failure across the capital.
In response to the escalating crisis, the NCC, Nigeria’s telecom regulator, is engaging in urgent, multi-stakeholder negotiations to resolve the issue.
“The NCC is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to address the diesel supply issues and explore sustainable solutions,” stated Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs for the Commission. “We are committed to ensuring seamless communication services for all Nigerians and recognize the importance of reliable power supply for the provision of optimal telecommunication services.”
The Commission is urgently calling on all parties involved, particularly NOGASA, to collaboratively and swiftly remove the supply bottlenecks that are crippling critical national infrastructure.
The incident underscores the acute vulnerability of Nigeria’s essential services to disruptions in the energy supply chain, which is heavily reliant on diesel-powered generators due to the country’s persistent challenges with grid electricity.
The NCC reiterated its commitment to managing the situation and fostering a stable environment for telecommunications growth. They have promised to keep the public informed as they work to facilitate dialogues between the impacted service providers and the fuel suppliers to restore full service to Abuja.
The NCC thanked subscribers for their “understanding and patience during this period,” reaffirming its dedication to delivering high-quality telecommunications services nationwide.
