The House of Representatives on Wednesday delivered a stinging indictment of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, accusing the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) of regulatory failure and telecom operators of prioritising profits over service quality despite soaring subscriber numbers and rising tariffs.
Lawmakers warned that deteriorating network performance across the country now poses economic and public safety risks, particularly as unreliable connections continue to disrupt emergency communications, businesses and daily activities.
The criticism followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Ahmadu Jaha, representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno State.
Opening debate on the motion, Jaha said the country’s telecom infrastructure had failed to keep pace with the explosive growth in mobile and internet usage since sector liberalisation more than two decades ago.
“Telecommunication has become central to modern life in Nigeria. It supports businesses, education, emergency response and economic activity, yet the quality of service Nigerians receive remains deeply unsatisfactory,” he said.
The lawmaker highlighted recurring consumer complaints, including dropped calls, failed text messages, unstable internet connections and poor customer service, describing them as evidence of systemic inefficiency within the industry.
According to him, the poor state of network connectivity has become a major source of frustration and financial losses for millions of subscribers.
Subscribers, he argued, are increasingly burdened with high data and call charges without receiving commensurate service quality.
“Nigerians pay heavily for data and airtime, yet unstable networks and interrupted connections continue to undermine value for money,” he stated.
Jaha also warned that weak telecom services could have life-threatening implications, particularly during emergencies such as medical crises, fire outbreaks and road accidents where communication delays can prove critical.
The debate quickly shifted to the role of the NCC, with lawmakers accusing the regulator of failing to effectively enforce quality standards and hold operators accountable.
Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi alleged that major telecom companies had become complacent after years of massive profits, while the regulator had failed to apply sufficient pressure for service improvements.
“It appears these companies have become too comfortable after making billions, while the NCC has grown complacent in enforcing standards,” he said.
Although lawmakers acknowledged the sector’s remarkable growth—from fewer than one million active lines in the early 2000s to over 200 million subscriptions—they noted that infrastructure investment has lagged behind subscriber expansion.
They identified inadequate base stations, network congestion, high operational costs, unreliable electricity supply, multiple taxation, vandalism of infrastructure and right-of-way bottlenecks as major factors contributing to declining service quality.
However, the House maintained that regulatory enforcement has remained weak, arguing that existing sanctions imposed on operators have failed to compel meaningful compliance.
Following deliberations, lawmakers called on telecom operators to accelerate infrastructure upgrades, improve customer support systems, expand network coverage in underserved areas and adopt pricing structures that reflect actual service quality.
The House also directed the NCC to tighten oversight and enforce stricter quality-of-service standards across the sector.
In a move signalling increased legislative scrutiny of the industry, lawmakers resolved to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate the underlying causes of poor telecom service delivery and recommend further legislative and regulatory measures.
