The House of Representatives has directed the chief executive officers of major telecommunications companies in Nigeria to appear before its investigative committee on October 28, 2026, to explain the persistent decline in network service quality across the country.
The directive was issued by an ad hoc committee investigating complaints about poor telecommunications services during a public hearing in Abuja. The committee gave operators, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo) and Mafab Communications Limited, seven days to respond to concerns about their network performance.
The decision followed the adoption of two motions sponsored by lawmakers Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene. Committee members expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of some telecommunications companies, including MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications, to honour previous invitations.
As part of the directive, the committee instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that all affected operators attend the hearing at 2:00 p.m. on October 28 at Hearing Room 447, New Building of the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The companies must also submit relevant documents before the hearing and provide explanations for the continued decline in service quality, which has affected subscribers and businesses across the country. The lawmakers warned that any chief executive who fails to appear could face an arrest summons to compel their attendance.
LAWMAKERS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER POOR NETWORK SERVICES
The committee’s chairman, Olumide Osoba, said telecommunications services have become essential to Nigeria’s economy, supporting activities beyond phone calls and internet access.
He highlighted the importance of reliable networks to business operations, financial transactions and Point of Sale (POS) services, noting that disruptions can affect individuals, businesses and other critical services.
According to Osoba, the House established the committee to investigate recurring complaints from telecommunications subscribers and identify the factors responsible for the poor quality of services provided by network operators.
He also criticised the approach taken by some companies in responding to earlier invitations, expressing concern that their chief executives had either offered excuses for their absence or sent lower-ranking officials to represent them.
The chairman stressed that the chief executives must attend the hearing personally because they are better positioned to explain their companies’ operational challenges, service delivery commitments and plans to address the problems.
LAWMAKERS QUESTION OPERATORS’ ACCOUNTABILITY
Another committee member, Ibe Osonwa, criticised the telecommunications companies for failing to honour the legislature’s invitations despite the significant revenue they generate from their operations in Nigeria.
Osonwa maintained that companies benefiting from the Nigerian market should not disregard requests from lawmakers, particularly when the investigation concerns services that directly affect millions of customers and businesses.
He emphasised that telecommunications operators have a responsibility to account for the quality of services they provide and warned that the House would not tolerate actions intended to frustrate its investigation.
NCC DIRECTED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE
Following the committee’s deliberations, Osoba urged the Nigerian Communications Commission to ensure that all affected telecommunications operators comply with the directive.
The companies are expected to appear on October 28 with the requested documents and provide detailed explanations regarding the state of their networks.
The hearing is expected to give lawmakers an opportunity to question the operators about the causes of recurring service disruptions, their efforts to improve network performance and the measures they intend to implement to address subscribers’ complaints.
The outcome could also help clarify the challenges affecting telecommunications services in Nigeria and the steps required to improve reliability for individuals, businesses and other users who depend on stable network connections.
