Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has charged telecom operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 to immediately improve network quality and service delivery for Nigerians.
Tijani made the call in a statement he issued on Sunday on the state of telecom service quality in Nigeria.
Tijani said the Federal Government has already implemented reforms needed to stabilise the telecom sector and restore operators to profitability, stressing that telecom companies now have the financial capacity to fix persistent network challenges.
Tijani said with all the reforms the government has carried out to drive sustainability in the sector, the government now expects measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and network coverage across the country.
- “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.
- “At the same time, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has been fully empowered, without interference, to carry out its mandate of monitoring performance, enforcing service standards, and ensuring compliance across the industry,” the Minister said.
He warned that operators failing to improve service quality could face regulatory action from the Commission.
- “Where operators deliver, it will be recognised. Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action,” he added.
Tijani disclosed that the government has secured funding led by the World Bank and established a framework for a special purpose vehicle under Project BRIDGE to deploy nationwide open-access fibre infrastructure.
He added that fibre rollout and new tower deployments through NUCAP are expected to commence before the end of the year alongside plans to strengthen Nigeria’s satellite connectivity infrastructure.
- “These investments will address the foundational gaps in our digital infrastructure over the next two to five years and permanently transform connectivity across Nigeria,” he stated.
The Minister explained that the goal is to ensure that businesses and households can access reliable high-speed fibre internet directly instead of depending solely on unstable mobile connections.
On sector reforms, Tijani said the government approved tariff adjustments and introduced several policies aimed at restoring sustainability within the telecom industry.
According to him, these measures included the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, as well as broader macroeconomic reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.
He noted that the reforms have helped operators return to profitability and improved their ability to invest in network upgrades.
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