The House of Representatives has summoned the chief executives of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and Mafab Communications over persistent poor telecommunications services, threatening to issue arrest warrants if they fail to appear.
The House ad hoc committee investigating telecom service quality directed the executives to appear before it on October 28, 2026, after some operators reportedly ignored earlier invitations.
The committee, chaired by Olumide Osoba, also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure the companies comply with the summons.
Osoba said telecom services had become indispensable to economic activity, supporting businesses, financial transactions and point-of-sale operations.
Fibre incidents
Figures from the NCC’s Quality of Experience data, reported by Technext, show that 44,678 fibre-related incidents were recorded between January and September 2026.
These comprised 17,462 cases of service degradation, 9,283 incidents of vandalism and 9,008 cable connection problems.
In August, NCC Chief Executive Officer Aminu Maida disclosed that more than 5,000 fibre cuts occurred in the first half of the year, linked to road construction, excavation and other civil engineering works.
“To a machine operator on a construction site, it may appear to be one buried cable. To the nation, it can mean failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services and missed opportunities,” Maida said at a stakeholders’ workshop on fibre protection.
He called for stronger coordination among road contractors, telecom operators and government agencies, warning that infrastructure projects should not undermine the digital networks that support economic activity.
The NCC has also identified vandalism, theft and restricted access to telecom facilities as factors affecting network reliability.
Investment versus service quality
NCC figures show that mobile network operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in infrastructure and upgrades in 2025, while tower companies committed N373.8 billion.
The combined investment exceeded N2.5 trillion and supported the addition or upgrade of more than 2,800 telecom sites.
Despite this, complaints about connectivity persist, particularly in congested urban areas and locations with recurring disruptions, intensifying scrutiny of how the spending translates into better service.
Oversight dispute
The latest summons has also revived a long-running dispute over the National Assembly’s power to oversee private telecom companies.
In 2018, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), then led by Gbenga Adebayo, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to seek clarification on the legislature’s oversight powers over private operators.
The association complained that operators were receiving repeated invitations from different legislative committees, sometimes on overlapping issues. It also questioned the demand for personal attendance by chief executives when other senior officials might be better placed to answer technical questions.
The final outcome of the case has not been independently verified.
The House also probed telecom coverage in underserved communities and the use of the Universal Service Provision Fund in 2023, inviting operators, the NCC and other institutions to participate. It remains unclear whether that inquiry produced lasting improvements.
Both the 2023 and 2026 inquiries came ahead of general elections, though the timing alone does not establish the motive behind either probe.
What to watch
The committee is expected to clarify the legal basis of its actions, the specific issues within its terms of reference, and how its work complements the NCC’s statutory responsibilities.
With the 2027 general election approaching, the summons puts the quality of Nigeria’s telecom services back in the spotlight. The significance of the hearings will depend on the evidence presented, the legality of the committee’s actions and whether the probe leads to verifiable improvements in network quality.
READ ALSO:
- Reps Summon MTN, Airtel, Glo, Mafab CEOs Over Poor Network, Threaten Arrest
- Obi Demands Immediate Release Of Campaigner, Condemns Harassment Of Supporters
- Investors Rush to Buy Dangote Refinery Shares as IPO Closes October 27
- FG Ends Era Of Oil Companies Hoarding Undeveloped Assets, Warns Operators To Drill Or Lose Licences
- PDP, ADC, NDC, LP, ADP Meet INEC Deadline To Correct Omitted Candidates’ Names
