EXCLUSIVE: China Threatens To Shut Down Nigerian Communications Satellite Over $11.44m Debt

The China Great Wall Industry Corporation has threatened to shut down the Nigerian Communications Satellite from the orbit over failure by the Nigerian operator to pay it a debt of $11.44m accumulated in the last seven years.

In a letter, sighted by our correspondent, written to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited and copied to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Chinese company which constructed the Nigerian satellite gave NigComSat Limited 30 days to pay up the money or risk shutting down the satellite.

Investigation by THE WHISTLER showed that CGWIC had rescued the Nigerian Communications Satellite popularly known as NigComSat 1R from collapse in the orbit in 2019 and thereafter entered into management contract with the Nigerian entity.

In the letter which was signed by the Director, Marketing, Africa at CGWIC, Liu Lan, the Chinese company asked the management of NigComSat Limited to inform its customers of the development because it wouldn’t guarantee the performance of the satellite should it fail to pay up the debt in 30 days.

Excerpt from the letter read, “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.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

It added, “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.

“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.”

Head of Corporate Communications at NigComSat Limited, Mr. Stephen Kwande, promised to respond when our correspondent got in touch with him on the phone. He was yet to do so before this story was filed.

Details shortly…