Reps give MTN, Airtel, Glo seven days to answer for poor network

Telecom firms operating in Nigeria have one week to face lawmakers and explain why calls drop, data crawls and coverage fails in many parts of the country.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee on telecommunications quality issued the seven-day notice on Wednesday at a public hearing in Abuja. It fixed October 28, 2026, for the operators to appear.

Those named include MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and Mafab Communications, along with other service providers.

The committee, led by Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), said the firms must come to Hearing Room 447 of the New Building at the National Assembly Complex by 2pm, bringing documents that explain the decline in service.

The decision followed two motions moved by Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene. It came after some operators, including MTN and Mafab, failed to honour earlier invitations, according to the committee.

Lawmakers warned that any chief executive who ignores the summons could be compelled to appear through an arrest summons.

Why it matters to subscribers

Osoba said telecoms now carry far more than calls and browsing. Point of Sale (POS) transactions, bank transfers and everyday business all ride on the same networks.

He said the country's growing reliance on these networks makes repeated outages "a matter of serious national concern."

For an ordinary Nigerian, a dead network can mean a failed transfer at a POS stand, a lost sale for a trader, or a missed call from family. Subscribers have long complained of dropped calls, slow data and weak coverage.

Osoba also criticised executives who have sent junior officials or given excuses instead of appearing in person. He said the chief executives "are better placed to explain their companies' operational challenges, service delivery obligations and plans to address subscribers' complaints."

Ibe Osonwa, a lawmaker from Abia, said it was unacceptable for firms earning substantial revenue in Nigeria to shun the legislature. He said operators have "a responsibility to account for the quality of services they provide."

The committee asked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the sector regulator, to make sure the companies comply and submit their documents before the hearing.

This is not the House's first run at the sector. In May, lawmakers criticised the NCC over what they called weak oversight, saying it had not forced operators to deliver reliable service.

What happens next

The October 28 hearing is where the operators are expected to explain what is behind the poor service, what they are investing in infrastructure and how they plan to fix subscribers' complaints.

If they stay away again, the committee has said it will move to compel them.