The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has defended the integrity of the procurement process for the NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B satellite programme.

The company also dismissed allegations of irregularities and threatened legal action over what it described as defamatory claims.

In a statement signed by its management on Friday, NIGCOMSAT maintained that the procurement was conducted competitively and transparently.

According to the statement, the exercise complied with the Public Procurement Act and the guidelines of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The response followed a September 18, 2026 report by Daily Post which raised questions about the satellite procurement and cited unnamed industrial sources on the performance of some bidders.

NIGCOMSAT explained that all bidders were assessed using the same predetermined criteria.

The criteria covered technical responsiveness, financial compliance, delivery capability, project risk, security considerations and long-term value to the Federal Government.

Management maintained that the outcome was based on a comprehensive assessment of the competing bids rather than performance in any isolated area.

“In a procurement of this magnitude and complexity, performance in selected areas does not determine the overall outcome,” the company stated.

NIGCOMSAT further dismissed the suggestion that the non-selection of a bidder amounted to evidence of wrongdoing.

Participation in a competitive procurement process, according to the organisation, did not guarantee selection.

Previous relationships with NIGCOMSAT or performance under an earlier contract, it added, could not guarantee success in a fresh procurement exercise.

On the selection of Hughes Network Systems’ JUPITER platform, the satellite company described the report’s reference to Chapter 11 proceedings involving Hughes Satellite Systems as speculative.

The organisation noted that the publication failed to establish any connection between the corporate development and Hughes Network Systems’ technical capacity or ability to deliver the required ground infrastructure.

“The report fails to establish any nexus between the referenced corporate development and Hughes Network Systems’ technical capacity or its ability to deliver on the ground infrastructure component. Conjecture cannot supplant technical evaluation and contractual due diligence,” NIGCOMSAT stated.

Hughes had announced on September 16 that NIGCOMSAT selected its JUPITER scalable gateway system for the NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B satellites.

The system is designed to support broadband services across Ka-, Ku- and C-bands.

On staff welfare, management explained that it inherited a salary structure that had not been reviewed for 17 years.

The company disclosed that a review had since been initiated through the required government approval processes.

It added that outstanding obligations relating to official assignments were also being addressed, alongside efforts to strengthen internal procedures for authorisation and reimbursement.

NIGCOMSAT accused vested interests and lobbyists who, according to the company, lost out in the procurement process of attempting to use the media to pressure the organisation.

The report, management alleged, formed part of a “clandestine and orchestrated move”, with unnamed sources allegedly being used to circulate unverified claims.

Despite its criticism of the publication, NIGCOMSAT stressed that it welcomed legitimate scrutiny of its activities.

“NIGCOMSAT respects the role of the media in holding public institutions accountable. However, we will not tolerate the use of the media as a procurement tribunal or as a tool for arm-twisting a public institution,” it stated.

The organisation urged anyone with concerns about the procurement to use the appropriate statutory and procurement review channels.

Its Legal Department, the company disclosed, was reviewing the publication and its “defamatory imputations”.

NIGCOMSAT warned that appropriate legal action,would be taken against the sponsors and purveyors of what it described as falsehoods.

The company maintained that the NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B programme remains critical to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, national security and socio-economic development.

According to management, the satellites will strengthen communications resilience, expand broadband coverage and improve connectivity in underserved communities.

NIGCOMSAT reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the programme with the necessary technical, financial, legal and project-continuity safeguards.

The company also maintained that it stood by the integrity and outcome of the concluded procurement process and would not yield to intimidation or external pressure.