Lawmakers accuse telecom regulator of complacency as Nigerians battle dropped calls, slow internet, and rising data costs…..
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has criticised the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over what lawmakers described as ineffective regulation of the telecommunications sector, blaming the agency for the persistent poor quality of network services experienced by millions of subscribers nationwide.
The lawmakers warned that deteriorating telecom services now pose serious risks to communication, business activities, and emergency response efforts across the country.
The criticism followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Ahmadu Jaha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in Borno State.
While presenting the motion on the floor of the House, Jaha said telecommunications had become central to modern life and economic activity in Nigeria, but noted that service quality had failed to keep pace with the sector’s rapid growth.
“Telecommunication has become a vital part of everyday life in Nigeria. It connects families, supports businesses, enhances education, and drives economic growth. However, despite its importance, the quality of service provided by many telecom companies remains unsatisfactory,” he said.
The lawmaker highlighted widespread complaints from subscribers, including frequent dropped calls, slow internet connections, delayed message delivery, and unstable network coverage.
According to him, poor connectivity is negatively affecting both personal communication and business operations, leading to financial losses and growing frustration among consumers.
Jaha also questioned the increasing cost of telecom services, arguing that Nigerians were paying more despite experiencing declining service quality.
He said unstable connections and network interruptions often cause data bundles to deplete faster than expected, leaving subscribers dissatisfied with the value received from telecom operators.
Beyond network failures, lawmakers expressed concerns about poor customer support systems across telecom companies. They noted that many subscribers struggle to get complaints resolved promptly, even in situations involving emergencies.
Jaha warned that delayed communication during incidents such as medical emergencies, road accidents, and fire outbreaks could endanger lives.
The House further linked poor service delivery to inadequate infrastructure investment, especially in densely populated urban areas and underserved rural communities.
Lawmakers argued that network expansion has failed to match Nigeria’s growing number of telecom users, resulting in severe congestion during peak periods.
Supporting the motion, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi accused telecom operators of focusing heavily on profit while neglecting infrastructure upgrades and service improvement.
He also faulted the NCC for what he described as regulatory complacency.
“It is like these companies have made enough profits in billions, and so, they don’t care about improving the network anymore. The NCC, the regulator, has become complacent,” Ozodinobi said.
Nigeria’s telecom industry has witnessed massive expansion since the sector was liberalised in the early 2000s, growing from fewer than one million connected lines to more than 200 million active subscriptions.
The growth has transformed telecommunications into one of the pillars of the country’s digital economy, supporting financial services, education, commerce, and social connectivity.
However, analysts say infrastructure development has not kept pace with subscriber growth. Telecom operators continue to face challenges including unreliable electricity supply, high operational costs, vandalism of network equipment, and multiple taxation from different levels of government.
Many operators also rely heavily on diesel-powered generators to keep network sites running, significantly increasing operating expenses.
Despite these industry-wide challenges, critics have repeatedly accused the NCC of failing to strictly enforce quality-of-service regulations and adequately protect consumers.
Although the commission periodically sanctions operators and issues service benchmarks, enforcement actions have often been viewed as weak and insufficient to compel meaningful improvements.
As part of its resolutions, the House called on telecom companies to upgrade infrastructure, expand coverage to underserved communities, improve customer support systems, and adopt pricing models that reflect service quality.
Lawmakers also directed the NCC to strengthen regulatory enforcement and hold operators accountable for poor service delivery.
The House further resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the underlying causes of poor telecom services in Nigeria and recommend additional legislative measures aimed at improving the sector.
