Telecommunications services were disrupted in parts of Nigeria’s capital Abuja last week after a diesel shortage cut power to several mobile towers, the country’s telecommunications regulator said in an email.
The Nigerian Communications Commission said the disruption was due to difficulties in supplying diesel to critical communications infrastructure, reducing the quality of service to mobile phone subscribers in the affected areas.
The regulator said the crisis was caused by the actions of the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, which disrupted diesel supplies to sites run by IHS Nigeria Limited, a tower company that powers base stations used by mobile operators such as MTN Group and Airtel Africa. The statement sent via email was signed by NCC Public Relations Manager Nnenna Ukoha.
“NCC is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to address diesel supply issues and seek sustainable solutions,” the commission said.
“The European Commission urges all parties to work together to quickly resolve these challenges by removing the diesel supply bottlenecks affecting critical communications infrastructure resulting from NOGASA’s actions.”
The NCC urged all stakeholders to work together to quickly resolve the crisis and assured subscribers that it remains committed to fostering a conducive environment for the growth and sustainability of telecommunications services across the country.
The regulator said it would continue to update the public on the progress towards full restoration of services in Abuja and thanked subscribers for their understanding and patience during the period of disruption.
Diesel remains one of the major bottlenecks for carriers, but the sector has so far avoided a potential crisis that could lead to widespread service disruptions, especially this year.
In July, the publication reported that Nigeria’s telecommunications industry is grappling with rising operating costs, spending more than $350 million annually on diesel generators.
According to Africa Finance Corporation’s Africa States Infrastructure Report 2025, Nigerian telecom operators consume more than 40 million liters of diesel every month.
This increased reliance on diesel generators puts significant financial pressure on carriers, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“The growing number of tower sites going off-grid or relying on diesel generators is a cause for concern for several reasons. First, it increases operators’ capital and operating costs, making investments in rural and remote areas even more prohibitive,” the report said.
“In fact, GSMA Intelligence estimates that energy costs for mobile towers in rural areas can be 37% higher than in urban areas. For example, in Nigeria, operators consume more than 40 million liters of diesel per month, which equates to an annual spend of more than $350 million.”
“Mobile broadband costs are exacerbated by the increased amount of energy required to power data traffic in Africa (0.24 kWh/GB compared to the global average of 0.17 kWh/GB), lower traffic volumes in Africa, and the use of older technologies such as 3G that are less energy efficient.
“Secondly, tower sites that rely on generators and batteries frequently report theft of battery equipment and diesel.”
