Telecom Sector Faces Potential Disruption as 800 Workers Embark on Strike

Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is facing the threat of a significant service disruption as 800 workers from the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) commenced an industrial strike on Monday. The workers, primarily contract staff, have warned that the strike could lead to widespread outages across the country, affecting millions of subscribers.

The union’s demands include the reinstatement of sacked employees, recognition of the union, better working conditions, and the remittance of membership dues. In a statement, the union said the strike was unavoidable due to “precarious working conditions” and the refusal of employers to respect workers’ rights to unionize.

Union Secretary-General Okonu Abdullahi spoke to The PUNCH, emphasizing the potential impact on telecom operations. He noted that members of the union handle critical infrastructure maintenance for major companies like IHS and Huawei. If workers do not respond to service outages, subscribers will face significant connectivity issues.

“Our engineers handle outages daily, and without their intervention, entire regions could experience communication blackouts,” Abdullahi warned.

The strike involves key personnel such as field maintenance, transmission, customer service, and fibre engineers. Major companies affected include Huawei Technologies Nigeria, Tylium Nigeria, and others subcontracted by telecom giants like MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile.

This strike follows a similar walkout in April 2024, which was temporarily resolved through mediation by the Ministry of Labour. However, Abdullahi stated that the companies involved had not upheld the agreements made during the previous negotiations.

Despite the ongoing strike, some telecom companies have denied being affected. A Huawei representative, identified as Bruce, told The PUNCH that all employees were still working and that his team had not been informed of the strike. However, he acknowledged that field workers, who are subcontracted, could be impacted.

Labour ministry officials, including Princess Powei, have assured that the government is committed to resolving the strike swiftly. Powei, who played a key role in resolving the April strike, emphasized that efforts are underway to address the workers’ grievances.

The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, highlighted the critical importance of safeguarding the telecom industry. He stressed that telecom services are vital to the nation’s infrastructure, warning that any disruption must be addressed promptly to avoid long-term damage.