Nigeria’s communication satellite could face service disruption after a Chinese aerospace company threatened to suspend operations over an outstanding debt of more than $11 million owed by the country’s satellite operator.
The China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat Ltd.), warning that it may shut down the NigComSat-1R satellite in orbit if the company fails to settle a debt of $11.44 million accumulated over the past seven years.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of NigComSat Ltd. and copied to the President of Nigeria, the Chinese firm demanded immediate payment or a binding guarantee to prevent service suspension.
According to TheWhistler, investigations indicate that CGWIC had previously intervened in 2019 to rescue the Nigerian satellite from potential failure in orbit and subsequently entered into a management arrangement with the Nigerian operator.
The letter, signed by Liu Lan, Director of Marketing for Africa at CGWIC, also advised NigComSat Ltd. to notify its customers about the situation, warning that the company could no longer guarantee the satellite’s performance if the debt remains unpaid.
“As of December 31, 2025, the total net outstanding debt owed by NIGCOMSAT to CGWIC stands at USD11,442,335.89. This figure accounts for deductions for services NIGCOMSAT has been provided by us, yet the balance remains substantial and unresolved,” the letter stated.
“Regrettably, despite our continuous provision of essential Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) services from Kashi, China, no payments have been received from NIGCOMSAT Ltd. since 2019.”
The company noted that it had delayed pursuing debt recovery for several years in order to ensure Nigeria’s satellite operations continued uninterrupted.
“For the past seven years, CGWIC has deliberately delayed standard debt collection actions out of goodwill and a desire to ensure the continuity of Nigeria’s satellite operations,” the letter added.
“Furthermore, despite negotiations in 2023 and early 2025, in which CGWIC agreed in principle to reduce the debt, NIGCOMSAT has repeatedly failed to meet the agreed-upon conditions to make partial payments.”
CGWIC warned that mounting internal and external pressures now make it impossible to continue the arrangement without compensation.
“As a commercial entity, CGWIC is currently under immense pressure from internal auditors and our external subcontractors, and we are no longer in a position to sustain these operations without remuneration,” the company said.
“Therefore, CGWIC is hereby issuing a final thirty (30) day ultimatum. NIGCOMSAT is required to either make the payment of USD 11,442,335.89 or provide a formal, legally binding guarantee of payment within thirty (30) days of the date of this letter.
“If full payment or an acceptable guarantee is not provided within this 30-day window, CGWIC will suspend service on the active transponders of the NIGCOMSAT-1R satellite.”
When contacted for comment, the Head of Corporate Communications at NigComSat Ltd., Stephen Kwande, told our correspondent he would respond to the matter but had yet to do so as of the time this report was filed.
