Reps Give MTN, Airtel and Glo Seven Days to Explain Poor Network Services

The House of Representatives has given MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and other telecommunications operators seven days to explain the persistent poor quality of network services across Nigeria.

The House committee investigating telecommunications service quality directed the chief executives of MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and Mafab Communications to appear before it on October 28, 2026, to explain the problems and present relevant documents.

The decision followed a public hearing in Abuja, where lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of some invited operators, including MTN and Mafab Communications, to honour previous invitations.

The committee also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the affected companies comply with the invitation.

Committee chairman Olumide Osoba said telecommunications services had become essential to Nigeria’s economy. He explained that reliable networks were necessary not only for making calls and accessing the internet but also for conducting financial transactions and running businesses.

For many Nigerians, poor network quality can mean more than an inconvenience. Failed POS transactions can disrupt small businesses, unstable connections can interrupt online work and learning, while dropped calls can prevent people from communicating when they need to.

The lawmakers warned that company chief executives who fail to honour the invitation could face a summons for arrest to compel their appearance.

They also criticised operators for sending junior officials to represent them instead of allowing their chief executives to answer questions about service quality and their plans to address customers’ complaints.

The investigation comes amid continuing concerns about the reliability of telecommunications services across the country.

The commission also reported more than 6,500 network interventions during the year as part of efforts to improve service delivery.

Despite these measures, complaints about slow internet speeds, failed transactions, poor call quality and unreliable connections have continued.

The House committee is expected to question the operators about the causes of these problems, the challenges affecting their networks and the measures they intend to take to improve service delivery.

The October 28 hearing could provide an opportunity for Nigerians to receive clearer explanations about the recurring disruptions and what telecommunications companies are doing to address them.

Until then, many Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether the telecommunications companies provide satisfactory answers and take practical steps to improve their services.

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