The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has warned that appropriate regulatory sanctions will be imposed on telecom operators that fail to address persistent network challenges and improve service quality across Nigeria.
Tijani issued the warning in a statement shared with journalists on Sunday, naming major operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and T2.
The minister said recent investments and reforms within the telecommunications sector are expected to address critical infrastructure gaps and transform connectivity nationwide over the next two to five years.
According to him, the Federal Government has already secured funding led by the World Bank and established a framework for a special purpose vehicle under Project BRIDGE to support nationwide open-access fibre infrastructure deployment.
“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,” Tijani stated.
He explained that fibre deployment, new telecom tower rollouts through NUCAP, and expanded satellite connectivity would commence before the end of the year.
The minister said the investments are aimed at ensuring that Nigerians, including small business owners, can access reliable and high-speed internet services directly from their homes and businesses rather than relying solely on unstable mobile connections.
“A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high-speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop, rather than relying solely on dongles or unstable mobile connections. That is the level of meaningful connectivity we are building towards,” he added.
Tijani noted that telecom operators are now operating within a more stable, transparent and market-driven environment, with many returning to profitability after years of financial pressure.
According to him, the improved operating environment means service providers now have the capacity and resources required to fix network issues and improve the quality of service delivered to Nigerians.
“Let me therefore be clear: the conditions required for improved service delivery have now been established,” he stated.
“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 also disclosed that the Nigerian Communications Commission has been fully empowered to independently monitor network performance, enforce service standards and ensure compliance across the telecom industry.
He said the ministry would continue to rely on periodic reports from the NCC as well as complaints and feedback from Nigerians to engage operators more actively.
“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and coverage,” Tijani warned.
He stressed that operators delivering improved services would be recognised, while those failing to meet expectations would face regulatory consequences.
“Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action,” he said.
“Nigerians should begin to see improvements in Quality of Service and receive value for what they pay for, now and in the future.”
The warning comes amid growing consumer complaints over dropped calls, slow internet speeds and poor network coverage across the country.
It also follows recent directives by the Nigerian Communications Commission requiring Mobile Network Operators to compensate subscribers in areas where network performance falls below approved standards.
The NCC said the directive forms part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection and ensure subscribers do not bear the burden of poor service delivery.
In 2024, the Commission introduced new Quality of Service regulations that established stricter Key Performance Indicators for telecom operators, including benchmarks for call drop rates, network congestion and call setup success rates.
Following the approval of a 50 per cent tariff adjustment for operators earlier last year, the NCC disclosed that telecom companies had invested over $1bn in infrastructure upgrades to improve network capacity and service delivery.
According to the Commission, the new pricing structure helped reverse years of under-investment that weakened network expansion and service quality.
The NCC also explained that before the tariff review, the telecom value chain remained imbalanced because tower companies were able to adjust prices annually based on inflation and foreign exchange fluctuations, while Mobile Network Operators operated under fixed tariffs.
The latest warning by the minister signals increased pressure on operators to deliver improved connectivity and justify recent tariff adjustments approved within the sector.
