House of Reps Demands Telecom Operators Address Service Issues

The House of Representatives has issued a seven-day ultimatum to MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and Mafab Communications Ltd, requiring them to appear before its ad hoc committee investigating the declining quality of telecommunications services in Nigeria. This directive follows the telecom operators' failure to respond to earlier invitations to explain the deterioration in service standards.

Olumide Osoba, chairman of the House committee, emphasized the importance of reliable telecommunications infrastructure for commercial activities, noting that banks and critical institutions depend on it. The ultimatum was issued shortly after Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), revealed that Nigeria had received compensation for poor network services, with nearly three million subscribers refunded for failed airtime and data purchases.

Despite over 6,500 network interventions in 2026, challenges such as fibre-optic cable cuts and equipment theft persist. The NCC is also planning new rules for clearer data usage notifications to help consumers.