Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has directed telecommunications operators in the country to urgently address and improve service delivery to Nigerians.
Tijani said the Federal Government had already created the enabling environment for the sector to thrive, stressing that operators must now take responsibility for delivering quality services to consumers.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister specifically charged major operators, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and T2, to resolve the lingering connectivity problems affecting millions of subscribers nationwide.
“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,” he said.
Tijani explained that upon assuming office, he discovered that Nigeria’s connectivity problems were largely structural, arising from years of underinvestment in telecommunications infrastructure.
According to him, the government responded with both immediate and long-term reforms aimed at transforming the sector.
He disclosed that the government had secured funding led by the World Bank and established a framework for a Special Purpose Vehicle under Project BRIDGE to deliver nationwide open-access fibre infrastructure.
The minister added that fibre deployment and new tower rollouts through NUCAP would commence before the end of the year, while satellite capacity would also be expanded to improve nationwide connectivity.
“These investments are expected to address the foundational gaps in our digital infrastructure over the next two to five years and permanently transform connectivity across Nigeria,” he stated.
Tijani noted that the objective of the reforms is to ensure that businesses and households have access to reliable and high-speed internet services.
“A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high-speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop, not rely solely on dongles or unstable mobile connections,” he added.
On immediate interventions, the minister said government implemented tariff adjustments, designated telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure and pursued tax harmonisation and broader economic reforms to stabilise the sector.
According to him, operators are now functioning in a more stable and market-driven environment and have returned to profitability.
He maintained that telecom companies now possess the capacity and resources required to improve network quality and service delivery.
Tijani also said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had been fully empowered to monitor operators, enforce service standards and sanction defaulters where necessary.
He assured Nigerians that government would rely on NCC reports and public complaints to ensure operators improve service quality.
“Nigerians should begin to see measurable improvements in call quality, data performance and coverage,” he said.
“Where operators deliver, it will be recognised, and where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action.”
The minister further insisted that Nigerians deserve value for money spent on telecom services, pledging that government would ensure the sector delivers improved quality of service.
