IMPACT OF NIGERIAN PHONE OUTAGES

UNCLAS ABUJA 001462 SIPDIS SIPDIS USDOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS USDOC FOR 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS DOL FOR ANN ZOLLNER TREASURY FOR DAN PETERS STATE PASS USTR STATE FOR AF/W, AF/EX, CA, AND S/ES-O E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT ELAB ETRD ECON PGOV CASC NI SUBJECT: IMPACT OF NIGERIAN PHONE OUTAGES REF: A) ABUJA 1447 B) ABUJA 1428 ¶1. Nigeria is experiencing severe telecommunications problems due to a strike at the national telephone company, NITEL (reftels). As of June 13, the problem has been compounded by lack of service in Abuja on the MTN cellular phone network. (MTN is the cell phone provider used by Embassy Abuja and Consulate Lagos.) While Embassy and Consulate phone and internet connections remain operational (thanks to our USG-owned satellite communications circuit), mission personnel have been without home landline telephone service since June 8 and as of June 13 also have no cell phone service. ¶2. Until landline and/or cell phone service is restored, Embassy staff have no telephone access outside of the office. We are not able to reach our colleagues traveling in the field, our dependents at home, and of course our Nigerian contacts. The Abuja Regional Security Officer reminded all staff this morning to use their Embassy-issued radios for emergency communications. ¶3. Department should be aware that calls to most Nigerian numbers (EXCEPT to Embassy Abuja and Consulate Lagos via the IVG) will not go through. In practical terms, this means that the Department cannot reach Nigerian contacts directly, Department cannot call Embassy personal at home, and American citizens may not be able to contact family and friends in Nigeria. (Note: The Abuja Consular Section has not yet received any welfare and whereabouts inquiries related to the phone outage.) The Department can still reach the Embassy and Consulate operators 24 hours a day, and the operator or Marine Security Guard could contact staff at home via the radio to pass any urgent messages from Washington. ¶4. Abuja contacts report that the Minister of Communications is awaiting the return of President Obasanjo (currently in New York City) to obtain the additional funds for the striking NITEL workers' back pay. While the Government of Nigeria previously reported it had "released" on June 5 a total of 1.7 billion naira (about $13.28 million) as part of the debts owed to NITEL by government ministries and parastatals, one source said this amount was actually 1.5 billion naira -- and that as of June 12 none of this total had reached the strikers. The media reported the Ministry of Finance "released" on June 12 a total of 1.7 billion naira for the strikers' back pay and that NITEL was working to arrange for the funds' "immediate" disbursement. ¶5. MTN contacts say that the cell phone outage is not/not related to the NITEL strike and report that their engineers are working to resolve a technical fault. The MTN cell service may resume as early as the evening of June 13 (local time). ¶6. Embassy and Consulate will continue to monitor the telecommunications situation and will report to Department when cell phone and/or landline connectivity is restored. ANYASO