FG warns telcos over poor service quality

The Federal Government has warned telecommunications operators that they could face regulatory sanctions if they fail to improve service quality across the country, saying Nigerians must begin to receive value for money spent on telecom services.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said this in a statement issued on Sunday, where he stressed that the Nigerian Communications Commission had been empowered to enforce industry standards and hold operators accountable for poor performance.

“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and coverage,” the minister said. “Where operators deliver, it will be recognised. Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action.”

The statement comes amid rising complaints by subscribers over poor network quality, dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and service disruptions across major telecommunications networks in the country.

Tijani said the government had already created the conditions necessary for improved telecom service delivery by implementing reforms aimed at stabilising the sector and improving operators’ financial sustainability.

According to him, operators are now functioning in a more transparent and market-driven environment and have returned to profitability, giving them the capacity to address longstanding network challenges.

“As a result, operators are now operating in a more stable, transparent, and market-driven environment and have returned to profitability,” he stated. “This is important as it means operators now have both the capacity and the resources to fix outstanding issues within their networks and improve the quality of service delivered to Nigerians.”

The minister added that the responsibility now lies with telecom firms, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2, to improve service quality nationwide.

“Let me therefore be clear, the conditions required for improved service delivery have now been established,” he said. “It is now the responsibility of telecom operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and deliver the level of service Nigerians expect.”

Tijani explained that the government had adopted a two-pronged strategy to tackle Nigeria’s connectivity problems, beginning with long-term investments in digital infrastructure.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had secured funding led by the World Bank under Project BRIDGE to expand nationwide fibre infrastructure, while additional tower deployments under NUCAP and satellite expansion plans were also underway.

“We have secured funding, led by the World Bank, and established the framework for a special purpose vehicle with Project BRIDGE, to deliver nationwide open access fibre infrastructure,” the statement read. “Deployment of fibre will commence, alongside new tower rollouts through NUCAP, before the end of the year, even as we also expand our satellite capability.”

The minister said the investments would help close infrastructure gaps within the next two to five years and improve internet access for businesses and households. According to him, small business owners should eventually have access to reliable high-speed fibre internet directly in their homes and shops without depending on unstable mobile connections.

Tijani also linked the reforms in the telecommunications sector to broader economic policies of the Federal Government, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.

He noted that other measures introduced included the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure and efforts to harmonise taxes affecting operators.

“We took a hard look at the sustainability of the telecommunications sector and made the necessary decisions to restore it,” he said. “This included allowing tariff adjustments, alongside broader reforms such as the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, efforts to harmonise taxes, and macroeconomic reforms including the floating of the naira and the removal of fuel subsidies.”

The minister added that the government would continue to rely on periodic reports from the NCC and feedback from Nigerians to monitor operators’ compliance and track improvements in service quality. “Nigerians should begin to see improvements in Quality of Service and get the value that they pay for now and in the future,” he stated.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission directed mobile network operators to compensate subscribers in areas where network quality falls below prescribed standards.(Punch)