The Federal Government has issued a stern directive to telecommunications companies operating in Nigeria, insisting that service quality must improve to reflect the payments made by subscribers.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, made it clear that following recent sector reforms, the burden of performance now rests squarely on the providers.
In a statement released on Sunday, Tijani pointed out that the government has played its part in stabilizing the industry. He noted that it is now time for companies like MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and T2 to eliminate the persistent network failures that have long frustrated millions of Nigerians.
“It is now the responsibility of telecom operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and deliver the level of service Nigerians expect,” the Minister stated.
The Minister acknowledged that the current administration took over a sector riddled with structural problems and years of underinvestment. To fix this, the government has launched a dual-track strategy involving both immediate relief and long-term infrastructure overhauls.
A key highlight of the long-term plan is Project BRIDGE, a framework supported by the World Bank designed to create a nationwide fibre-optic network. Tijani also revealed that the rollout of new telecom towers through the NUCAP initiative and expanded satellite connectivity will begin before the end of 2026.
“We have secured funding, led by the World Bank, and established the framework for a special purpose vehicle with Project BRIDGE, to deliver nationwide open access fibre infrastructure,” he explained.
The ultimate goal is to move away from unreliable mobile connections toward stable, high-speed internet.
Tijani added, “A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high-speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop, not rely solely on dongles or unstable mobile connections.”
Accountability and Consequences
The government noted that several short-term fixes are already showing results.
These include designating telecom masts as critical national infrastructure, harmonizing taxes, and adjusting tariffs to ensure a market-driven environment. According to Tijani, these moves have allowed many operators to return to a state of profitability.
“They are now operating in a more stable, transparent, and market-driven environment and have returned to profitability,” the Minister observed, suggesting that financial constraints are no longer an excuse for poor service.
To ensure compliance, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been given a mandate to strictly monitor performance and apply sanctions to any operator that fails to meet the required standards. The government intends to use consumer complaints and independent reports to hold these companies accountable.
“Where operators deliver, it will be recognised, and where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action,” Tijani warned.
Concluding his message, the Minister reiterated that the era of paying for services not rendered must end. “Nigerians should begin to see improvements in Quality of Service and get value that they paid for now, and in the future. And we will ensure that the sector delivers,” he said.
