The Federal Government says it has fully empowered the Nigerian Communications Commission to enforce service standards and hold telecom operators accountable for poor network quality.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said at the weekend that the Bola Tinubu administration has given the NCC a free hand to monitor performance, enforce rules, and sanction operators where needed.
“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance and coverage,” Tijani said. “Where operators deliver, it will be recognised. Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action.”
He said MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and T2 must now resolve network challenges and deliver the service Nigerians pay for. The government will rely on NCC’s periodic reports, public feedback, and complaints shared online to track progress.
Tijani noted that structural gaps from years of underinvestment had weakened connectivity when he took office in 2023.
He said reforms are now addressing that, including a World Bank-backed fibre project under Project BRIDGE and new tower rollouts through NUCAP, both set to begin before year-end.
“These investments will address the foundational gaps in our digital infrastructure over the next 2 to 5 years and permanently transform connectivity across Nigeria,” he said.
The minister added that tariff adjustments, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national assets, tax harmonisation, and macroeconomic reforms like the naira float and fuel subsidy removal have stabilised the sector.
With operators now profitable, he said, they have the capacity to fix network issues and improve service.
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