The House of Representatives has given the chief executives of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and different telecommunications operators till 4 November 2026 to seem earlier than its committee investigating persistent poor community companies, warning that failure to conform may result in warrants of arrest.
The House committee issued the directive on Wednesday after rejecting an try by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to have its chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, signify the businesses.
The Ad Hoc Committee on Telecommunications Service Quality, chaired by Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), insisted that the operators should seem individually to elucidate recurring complaints about dropped calls, poor web connectivity, failed airtime and knowledge transactions, and insufficient community protection.
The committee had invited the businesses on 21 October to account for the standard of their companies however expressed displeasure once they reportedly delegated Mr Adebayo to signify them.
During deliberations, Sunday Umeha (APC, Enugu), who moved a movement on the matter, argued that the operators held particular person licences issued by the federal authorities and couldn’t use their membership of an business affiliation to keep away from direct accountability to the legislature.
Mr Umeha additionally criticised a letter reportedly written by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the businesses to attend the listening to.
“I was shocked with what I saw in the letter. I saw a situation where ALTON is saying that they are not bound to appear before this committee. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” he stated.
Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the lawmaker maintained that the National Assembly had the ability to research issues inside its legislative competence, together with the implementation of presidency insurance policies affecting telecommunications companies.
He argued that the committee was not required to just accept ALTON’s association and that every operator ought to seem by its personal management until the lawmakers expressly authorized a consultant.
A consultant of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) advised the committee that the fee had communicated the invites on to the chief executives of the affected corporations.
The affirmation additional strengthened the lawmakers’ place that the operators had acquired satisfactory discover and will have honoured the invitation.
Mr Umeha recalled that the committee had thought of shifting to have the executives arrested at its earlier sitting however determined to present them one other alternative to seem. He stated the businesses had once more did not comply regardless of additional communication facilitated by the NCC.
Seconding the movement, the House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi (APC, Ekiti), additionally faulted ALTON’s try to signify the operators collectively, arguing that subscribers deal straight with particular person telecommunications corporations and will have the ability to maintain them accountable for service failures.
Mr Rotimi raised considerations about poor community protection in elements of his constituency in Ekiti State, saying the absence of cell indicators in some communities and alongside main roads posed dangers to public security.
He alleged that two conventional rulers in his constituency had been killed in an ambush alongside a street the place cell community indicators had been unavailable for about 20 minutes.
According to him, “such connectivity gaps could prevent residents and travellers from contacting security agencies or seeking emergency assistance when confronted with danger.”
The lawmaker additionally accused operators of concentrating infrastructure in commercially enticing areas whereas leaving rural communities and different underserved areas with insufficient protection.
The committee additional questioned Mr Adebayo a few reported ₦8.46 billion nice imposed on Globacom, asking whether or not he may deal with regulatory and operational points regarding a single operator whereas representing the business affiliation.
Following deliberations, Mr Osoba put the movement to a voice vote, and it was adopted. The committee then adjourned till 4 November, when the affected operators are anticipated to seem.
Millions of subscribers affected by poor companies
The investigation comes amid persistent complaints in regards to the reliability of telecommunications companies, regardless of regulatory interventions and compensation for affected subscribers.
The NCC reportedly disclosed on 20 October that telecommunications operators had compensated 75 million subscribers for poor service in 2026. Nearly three million different subscribers acquired refunds for failed airtime and knowledge transactions.
The fee additionally reported that it undertook greater than 6,500 community interventions in the course of the yr to handle service-related challenges.
However, shopper complaints have remained substantial.
Figures for the primary half of 2026 confirmed that the 4 main operators recorded a mixed 413,587 shopper complaints.
Airtel Nigeria accounted for 228,992 complaints, adopted by MTN Nigeria with 124,405, Globacom with 56,810 and T2mobile with 3,885.
Although the operators reportedly resolved 406,938 complaints, persevering with considerations about dropped calls, sluggish web speeds, failed transactions and poor protection have continued.
