The China Great Wall Industry Corporation has threatened to deactivate Nigeria’s communications satellite due to an outstanding debt of approximately $11.44 million owed by the Nigerian operator.
Reports indicate that the Chinese firm has given Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited a 30-day ultimatum to settle the unpaid amount or face the loss of satellite services.
This debt has reportedly accumulated over the last seven years.
In a letter sent to the managing director of NigComSat and also shared with President Bola Tinubu, the Chinese company warned that failure to make the payment could result in the suspension of services on the active transponders of NigComSat-1R.
This satellite is crucial for communication and broadcasting services in Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Investigations have shown that the Chinese company previously assisted in saving the satellite from a potential orbital failure in 2019 before entering into a management agreement with the Nigerian operator.
The letter, signed by Liu Lan, the Director of Marketing for Africa at the company, noted that the outstanding debt was $11,442,335.89 as of December 31, 2025.
The company stated that, despite continuing to provide essential telemetry, tracking, and command services from its facility in Kashi, China, it has not received any payments from NigComSat since 2019.
The firm mentioned that it had refrained from taking strict debt recovery actions for years out of goodwill and to ensure the ongoing operation of Nigeria’s satellite services.
However, it explained that pressure from internal auditors and subcontractors has made it untenable to continue providing services without payment.
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As a result, the company is demanding that NigComSat either pay the full amount or provide a legally binding payment guarantee within 30 days.
It also advised the Nigerian satellite operator to inform its customers about the situation, warning that the satellite’s performance could no longer be assured if the matter remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, Stephen Kwande, the Head of Corporate Communications at NigComSat, stated that the agency would address the situation but had not released an official statement at the time of this report.
