A House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating sub-standard telecommunication services has summoned the chief executive officers of major Nigerian telecom companies over poor network quality.
The heads of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), Mafab Communications Limited, and other service providers are expected to appear before the panel on October 28, following a resolution passed on Wednesday.
Lawmakers issued the summons after expressing frustration over the executives’ failure to honor prior invitations.
To enforce compliance, the committee directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure all affected CEOs adhere to the summons.
Lawmakers demanded answers from the service providers regarding the persistent decline in network quality, which has severely disrupted communications and commercial activities for millions of subscribers and businesses nationwide.
The committee warned that it would issue arrest warrants for any chief executives who fail to appear.
The panel’s chairman, Olumide Osoba, emphasized that telecommunications is vital to Nigeria’s economy, noting that it has evolved far beyond basic voice calls and internet browsing to become an essential infrastructure for point-of-sale (POS) transactions and broader commerce.
Declaring that deteriorating service delivery constitutes a national issue, he also stressed that stable telecom networks remain indispensable for businesses, financial services, and other critical economic operations.
According to Osoba, the committee was established to look into the flood of complaints from subscribers and identify the root causes of the poor network quality services.
Meanwhile, Abia lawmaker Ibe Osonwa asserted that the CEOs’ refusal to appear before the committee reflected a disregard for the parliament.
Backstory…
Meanwhile, the summon comes less than two days after the NCC said that nearly three million telecom subscribers were refunded for failed airtime and data purchases in 2026, while 75 million users were granted airtime compensation following poor telecom service delivery.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos during the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament, reiterating the regulator’s resolve to safeguard consumer rights and hold telecom operators accountable for service disruptions.
