Lagos, Ogun Risk Total Network Blackout as Telecoms Face Diesel Shortage Amid Tanker Drivers’ Strike
LAGOS/OGUN STATES, NIGERIA – A critical network blackout threatens Lagos and Ogun States as a diesel supply crisis, triggered by an indefinite strike by Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of NUPENG, jeopardizes telecom operations. The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) warns that dwindling diesel reserves are pushing base stations to the brink of shutdown, endangering mobile and internet services for millions.
ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, attributes the crisis to the PTD strike, a response to alleged police harassment of fuel tanker drivers in Lagos. The resulting halt in fuel truck loading has severely disrupted diesel supply to telecom infrastructure.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated. “As a result, diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites running dangerously low on fuel.”
The association cautions that a complete network blackout could disrupt:
- Mobile and internet services
- Business operations
- Emergency response systems
- Essential daily communications
ATCON urgently appeals to the Governors of Lagos and Ogun States to facilitate immediate diesel release from depots to telecom operators, emphasizing the situation as a “national emergency” with potential to cripple economic activity and public safety. They also call for swift resolution of the strike by security agencies and petroleum unions to prevent widespread connectivity loss.
Follow News Review on Facebook and X
, a branch of NUPENG, jeopardizes telecom operations. The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) warns that dwindling diesel reserves are pushing base stations to the brink of shutdown, endangering mobile and internet services for millions.){kind=link}