The House of Representatives on Wednesday faulted the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over weak oversight of the activities of the telecommunication sector in the country, which is responsible for the persistent poor quality of services being rendered nationwide.

The lawmakers indicted the commission for its failure to enforce standards capable of compelling service providers to deliver reliable connectivity, warning that the situation could endanger lives and property, particularly during emergencies.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Okeize Kalu, by Hon. Ahmadu Jaha, representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno State.

While leading the debate, the lawmaker underscored the critical role of telecommunications in Nigeria’s socio-economic life, noting a growing disconnect between subscriber expectations and actual service delivery.

According to him, “Telecommunication has become a vital part of everyday life in Nigeria. It connects families, supports businesses, enhances education, and drives economic growth. However, despite its importance, the quality of service provided by many telecom companies remains unsatisfactory.”

He identified recurring issues such as dropped calls, slow internet speeds and failed message delivery as indicators of systemic inefficiencies in the sector.

“The House is concerned that poor network connectivity is a major issue. Subscribers frequently experience dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and difficulty sending messages. This affects both personal communication and business operations, leading to frustration and financial losses,” Jaha added.

The lawmaker also decried what he described as a disparity between the high cost of telecom services and the quality delivered.

“The House notes that the high cost of data and call tariffs does not match the quality of service delivered. Nigerians often pay significant amounts for data bundles that are quickly exhausted due to unstable connections and network interruptions,” he said.

On customer service, Jaha said subscribers often struggle to get timely responses, with complaints left unresolved for extended periods.

“Many subscribers find it difficult to get timely responses to complaints, and issues are often left unresolved for long periods, thereby affecting emergency communications in dire situations like fire outbreaks, medical situations, vehicular incidents and the needed responses.”

He further linked poor service delivery to inadequate infrastructure expansion, especially in fast-growing urban centres and underserved rural communities, citing network congestion during peak periods.

While supporting the motion, the Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, accused telecom operators of prioritising profit over service improvement, while also faulting the NCC for what he termed regulatory complacency.

“It is like these companies have made enough profits in billions, and so, they don’t care about improving the network anymore. The NCC, the regulator, has become complacent,” he said.

Nigeria’s telecom sector has expanded rapidly since liberalisation in the early 2000s, growing from fewer than one million connected lines to over 200 million active subscriptions, making it central to the country’s digital economy. However, infrastructure development has lagged behind subscriber growth.

Industry stakeholders have cited inadequate base stations, unreliable power supply and high operating costs as major constraints affecting service quality. Telecom operators also rely heavily on diesel-powered generators due to unstable electricity, driving up costs and limiting expansion.

Other challenges include multiple taxation by different tiers of government, vandalism of telecom infrastructure and right-of-way bottlenecks, particularly in rural and conflict-prone areas.

Despite these issues, critics maintain that the NCC has not been sufficiently firm in enforcing quality of service regulations, noting that penalties imposed on operators are often too weak to ensure compliance.

Consumer advocacy groups have similarly accused the regulator of failing to adequately protect subscribers, especially in areas of billing transparency, complaint resolution and service reliability.

When the motion was put to a voice vote, it was unanimously supported by members.

The House called on telecom operators to invest in modern infrastructure, expand coverage to rural communities, improve customer service systems and adopt pricing that reflects service quality.

Lawmakers also directed the NCC to enforce stricter standards and hold service providers accountable, signalling a potential shift towards tighter legislative oversight of the sector.

The House further resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the root causes of poor telecom service delivery and recommend appropriate legislative action.

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