Reps Give Telecom Operators Seven Days to Explain Poor Network Services
The House of Representatives has given MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other telecommunications operators seven days to explain persistent poor network services across the country.
The lawmakers directed the companies’ chief executives to appear before an ad hoc committee on October 28, 2026, following a public hearing held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The committee also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the operators comply with the invitation and submit relevant documents ahead of the hearing, scheduled for 2 p.m. at Hearing Room 447 of the New Building of the National Assembly Complex.
Committee chairman Olumide Osoba said reliable telecommunications services were essential to businesses, financial transactions and everyday communication.
He criticised operators for failing to honour previous invitations or sending lower-ranking representatives instead of their chief executives to answer questions about network performance and operational challenges.
The lawmakers warned that chief executives who failed to appear could face arrest summonses.
The decision followed two motions sponsored by Reps. Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene, amid continuing complaints about dropped calls, slow internet connections and failed transactions.
The committee is expected to examine the causes of the recurring service problems and ask the operators to explain the steps they are taking to improve network quality.
The directive comes as the NCC continues to implement measures aimed at improving service delivery and compensating subscribers affected by poor network performance.
At the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos on October 20, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida said 75 million subscribers had received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026, while nearly three million others had received refunds for failed airtime and data purchases.
Maida also said the commission had recorded more than 6,500 network interventions during the year, including equipment upgrades and capacity expansion.
Despite these measures, subscribers continue to report difficulties with calls, internet access, billing and electronic transactions.
NCC figures cited in reports on the sector show that telecommunications operators received hundreds of thousands of consumer complaints in the first half of 2026.
The commission’s regulatory framework also provides for automatic airtime compensation for eligible subscribers in areas where operators fail to meet prescribed quality-of-service standards.
The October 28 hearing will provide an opportunity for the companies to explain their network challenges, respond to the lawmakers’ concerns and outline measures to improve service delivery.
The operators’ responses and any further decisions by the committee are expected to clarify what additional action may follow the investigation.
