The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially acknowledged the persistent quality of service challenges plaguing mobile network users in Abuja. The regulatory body attributes these disruptions primarily to significant issues with diesel supply at crucial telecommunications infrastructure sites within the capital city.

In a statement released on Friday, December 12, 2025, the NCC clarified that the widespread outages and degraded service experienced by subscribers are directly linked to the ongoing diesel supply disruptions impacting IHS Nigeria Limited. IHS Nigeria is a major provider of colocation and tower infrastructure, responsible for powering numerous base stations for prominent mobile network operators, including MTN and Airtel, across the affected areas.

Telecommunications networks in Nigeria are heavily reliant on diesel-powered generators to maintain the operation of their base stations due to the country's inconsistent and unreliable grid electricity. Companies like IHS play a critical role by owning and operating these base stations, supplying essential power, security, and maintenance services to mobile operators who, in turn, deliver voice and data services to consumers.

According to the NCC, the root cause of the current service disruptions lies with the activities of the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association (NOGASA), which reportedly interfered with diesel supplies to these vital telecommunication sites. This action has led to extensive service outages throughout various parts of Abuja.

The regulator has stated that it is actively collaborating with key industry stakeholders and licensed operators to swiftly address the situation and facilitate the restoration of normal telecommunication services. The NCC further underscored the critical importance of a stable and reliable power supply for the consistent delivery of high-quality telecom services nationwide, adding that it is facilitating dialogue between affected service providers and other involved parties to explore sustainable solutions.

It is noteworthy that diesel scarcity has historically been a recurring cause of service outages for Nigerian telcos. As far back as 2015, MTN had alerted its subscribers about the significant threat posed to quality of service by diesel scarcity across many parts of Nigeria. While diesel supply is a major factor, it is not the sole reason for network disruptions; Nigerian telcos also reported approximately 19,000 fibre optic cable cuts within an eight-month period this year, though MTN did not provide an explanation for a major outage it experienced earlier in the year that left many subscribers without connection.

To enhance transparency and monitoring, the NCC has developed a portal designed to track telecommunication service disruptions. For residents of Abuja, the Commission has appealed for understanding and patience, assuring users that it is diligently taking steps to resolve the bottlenecks affecting critical telecommunications infrastructure in the city, reaffirming its commitment to delivering high-quality telecommunications services nationwide.