Reps Summon Telcos Over Poor Network Services

The House of Representatives has summoned the chief executives of major telecommunications companies in Nigeria to explain persistent network failures and poor service delivery affecting subscribers across the country.

The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the quality of telecommunications services issued the directive on Wednesday during a public hearing in Abuja, giving the operators seven days to appear before it on October 28, 2026.

The affected companies include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and Mafab Communications, alongside other telecommunications service providers. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was directed to ensure compliance with the invitation.

The resolution followed the adoption of two motions sponsored by lawmakers Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene, after the committee expressed displeasure over the failure of some operators, including MTN and Mafab Communications, to honour previous invitations.

The committee also ordered the companies to submit relevant documents before the hearing, scheduled for 2 p.m. at Hearing Room 447 of the New Building of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Chairman of the committee, Olumide Osoba, said telecommunications services had become essential to Nigeria’s economy, supporting business operations, financial transactions, communication and other critical services.

He noted that unreliable networks continued to disrupt commercial activities and inconvenience millions of subscribers, making the problem a matter of national concern.

Osoba criticised telecommunications executives for allegedly avoiding direct engagement with lawmakers by offering excuses or sending lower-ranking officials to represent their companies. He maintained that chief executives needed to appear personally to explain their organisations’ operational challenges, service obligations and plans to improve performance.

Also speaking, Abia State lawmaker Ibe Osonwa condemned the operators’ failure to honour previous invitations, arguing that companies benefiting from the Nigerian market had a responsibility to account for the quality of services delivered to customers.

He warned that the committee would not tolerate attempts to frustrate its investigation and urged the NCC to ensure that the operators complied with the directive.

The summons comes amid persistent complaints about dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable connections, poor network coverage and failed transactions.

Recent NCC figures indicate that the four major operators recorded 413,587 consumer complaints in the first half of 2026. Airtel accounted for 228,992 complaints, MTN recorded 124,405, Globacom received 56,810, while T2mobile recorded 3,885.

The commission also reported that 75 million subscribers had received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026, while nearly three million others had been refunded for failed airtime and data transactions. More than 6,500 network improvement interventions had also been undertaken during the year.

Despite these measures, subscribers continue to report service disruptions that affect businesses, online learning, digital payments and everyday communication.

The committee said the forthcoming hearing would provide an opportunity for operators to explain the causes of the persistent problems and outline concrete measures to improve service quality. It warned that chief executives who fail to appear could face summons for arrest to compel their attendance.