The House of Representatives has summoned the chief executive officers of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, MAFAB Communications and other telecommunications operators to appear before it on October 28 over persistent poor network quality, warning that executives who fail to comply could face arrest.
The directive was issued on Wednesday by the House Ad hoc Committee investigating declining service quality and customer experience in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
The resolution followed the adoption of two motions moved by Rep. Sunday Umeha (APC-Enugu) and Rep. Afam Ogene (NDC-Anambra), after the chief executives of MTN, MAFAB Communications and other operators failed to honour previous invitations.
The committee directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the executives appear before it at the National Assembly Complex on the scheduled date. The operators were also instructed to submit relevant documents on or before the hearing.
Lawmakers criticise telecom operators
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun), said the persistent decline in telecommunications services prompted the House to establish the panel to investigate the situation.
He noted that several critical sectors of the economy, including point-of-sale (POS) operations, depend heavily on reliable telecommunications networks.
Osoba alleged that some invited chief executives had repeatedly offered excuses for their absence or sent lower-ranking officials to represent them instead of appearing before the committee personally.
Rep. Ibe Osonwa (LP-Arochukwu/Ohafia) also criticised the operators for generating substantial revenue from Nigeria while failing to honour invitations from lawmakers seeking explanations about their operations.
Osonwa said companies benefiting from the Nigerian market should not disregard parliamentary invitations requiring them to account for their activities.
Osoba subsequently urged the NCC to ensure that the operators complied with the committee’s directive and that their chief executives attended the hearing.
NCC introduces measures to improve network quality
The investigation comes amid continuing complaints about poor telecommunications services, despite significant investments in network infrastructure and regulatory measures intended to improve service delivery.
In October 2025, the NCC attributed poor network quality in Lagos, Abuja and other major cities partly to inadequate capacity in densely populated urban areas. It called for targeted investments in fifth-generation (5G) deployment and upgrades to existing fourth-generation (4G) infrastructure to ease network congestion.
In April 2026, the regulator began implementing a compensation framework for subscribers affected by poor network quality. The framework requires eligible operators to compensate customers in areas where service delivery falls below prescribed standards, covering voice calls, data and SMS services.
The development followed persistent complaints from subscribers about dropped calls, slow internet speeds and unreliable connectivity.
The House committee’s October 28 hearing is expected to provide an opportunity for lawmakers to question operators on the causes of the persistent service challenges and the measures being taken to improve subscribers’ experience.
