Thousands of telecom sites across Nigeria are at risk of shutting down after petroleum unions blocked diesel supplies in a dispute with infrastructure provider IHS Towers, telecom operators said on Thursday.

Members of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria on Tuesday blocked access to key diesel depots in Lagos, Kaduna, and Koko in Delta State, disrupting fuel distribution to thousands of telecom sites operated by IHS Towers.

The blockade followed allegations by IHS that two companies linked to NOGASA were involved in diesel theft. Although the matter is reportedly under investigation, union members have halted deliveries of diesel, a vital energy source for more than 16,000 telecom towers in a country where grid electricity remains unreliable at best.

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, said the group was gravely concerned about the broader implications of the blockade on national infrastructure and public safety.

“While ALTON does not interfere in disputes between its members and third parties, we are gravely concerned about the wider implications of this action on national infrastructure and public safety,” he noted in a statement.

The dispute has pinpointed the vulnerability of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, which relies heavily on diesel to power base stations in areas lacking stable grid electricity. A prolonged fuel disruption could trigger outages for mobile operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, with potentially severe consequences for businesses and consumers in one of Africa’s largest economies.

Under Nigerian law, telecom infrastructure is classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure. ALTON warned that intentional disruption could have legal consequences.

IHS has not responded to queries from The PUNCH seeking comment on the matter

The telcos urged the leadership of NUPENG and NOGASA to call their members to order and resolve disputes within lawful frameworks, rather than actions that could endanger public services.

“Disputes must be resolved within the framework of lawful contracts and applicable legal processes, without resorting to actions that endanger the operations of an entire industry and the lives and livelihoods that depend on it,” Adebayo stated.

Aside from vandalism, a major bottleneck in the sector, telcos face rising energy costs as they rely heavily on diesel to power mobile towers. The industry consumes more than 40 million litres of diesel each month, with annual spending exceeding $350m, according to industry data.

Energy expenses are even higher at rural and off-grid tower sites, where power costs are estimated to be about 37 per cent more than in urban areas. The reliance on diesel not only inflates capital and operating expenditures but also exposes telecom infrastructure to risks such as fuel theft and equipment vandalism.

ALTON also called on government authorities, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and other key stakeholders, to intervene swiftly to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Despite the ongoing disruption, ALTON reaffirmed its members’ commitment to providing reliable, high-quality telecommunications services across the country. However, it cautioned that incidents like this severely undermine their ability to maintain network stability and meet service delivery expectations.

“We extend our deep respect to NUPENG and NOGASA for their contributions to Nigeria’s energy sector and trust they will act responsibly to avoid further damage to critical national infrastructure,” the association concluded.

To reduce energy bills and cut emissions, operators including Airtel and MTN are turning to hybrid solutions that combine solar power and lithium batteries. The NC C and GSMA estimate that shifting to renewable energy could lower operating costs by 30 per cent to 50 per cent, offering significant savings and environmental benefits.