ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, told The PUNCH on Sunday.
“While many sites have reserve tanks, some are already at critical supply levels. If there is no immediate intervention, services could be affected.”
Telecommunications providers such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile do not manage their base stations directly. Instead, they rely on infrastructure companies like IHS Towers, American Tower Company, and Pan African Towers, which maintain and power these sites using diesel generators.
Emoekpere stressed the urgent need for contingency measures to protect critical telecom infrastructure.
“This situation wasn’t planned for. Even in cases like this, there should be mechanisms in place to ensure telecom services are not compromised. Telecom infrastructure is critical national infrastructure and should not be left vulnerable,” he said.
He noted that infrastructure companies have already reported difficulties in securing diesel, prompting ATCON to raise the alarm. “We don’t wait for a total shutdown before taking action; this is a preventive measure,” he added.
In a separate statement, ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to facilitate the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere said.
The association also urged security agencies and petroleum unions to swiftly resolve the crisis to safeguard Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
If diesel supply is not restored soon, millions of subscribers could experience service disruptions, affecting both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily o
operations, he argued.
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