Lawyer Claims National Assembly Can't Regulate Telecoms

Sesan Bankole, a lawyer, has asserted that the National Assembly does not possess the authority to regulate telecommunications operators or impose sanctions, as these responsibilities lie with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). His comments arise amid tensions between the House of Representatives and telecom companies regarding poor network quality.

The House threatened to issue arrest warrants against the chief executives of major telecom firms who failed to appear before a committee investigating service delivery. The committee has set a deadline of November 4, 2026, for compliance.

Bankole explained that while the National Assembly can invite telecom operators for information, it must adhere to constitutional limits. He cited Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows investigations for law-making purposes but does not grant general regulatory powers over private companies.

He also questioned the requirement for personal appearances by executives, stating that companies can appoint representatives. Furthermore, he noted that a related lawsuit by ALTON from 2018 is still pending in court.