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

Telecom firms wey dey operate for Nigeria get one week to face lawmakers and explain why calls dey drop, data dey crawl and coverage dey fail for plenty parts of the country.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee on telecommunications quality issue the seven-day notice on Wednesday for one public hearing for Abuja. Dem fix October 28, 2026, for the operators to appear.

Those wey dem name include MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and Mafab Communications, plus other service providers.

The committee, wey Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) lead, talk say the firms must come to Hearing Room 447 of the New Building for National Assembly Complex by 2pm, and bring documents wey go explain why service dey decline.

The decision follow two motions wey Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene move. E come after some operators, including MTN and Mafab, fail to honour earlier invitations, according to the committee.

Lawmakers warn say any chief executive wey ignore the summons fit get arrest summons to force am come.

Why e concern subscribers

Osoba talk say telecoms now dey carry pass calls and browsing. Point of Sale (POS) transactions, bank transfers and everyday business all dey ride on the same networks.

He talk say the country dey rely more and more on these networks, so repeated outages na "a matter of serious national concern."

For ordinary Nigerian, network wey dead fit mean failed transfer for POS stand, lost sale for trader, or missed call from family. Subscribers don dey complain about dropped calls, slow data and weak coverage for long time.

Osoba also yab executives wey dey send junior officials or give excuses instead of appearing in person. He talk say the chief executives "are better placed to explain their companies' operational challenges, service delivery obligations and plans to address subscribers' complaints."

Ibe Osonwa, one lawmaker from Abia, talk say e no acceptable for firms wey dey earn plenty revenue for Nigeria to shun the legislature. He talk say operators get "a responsibility to account for the quality of services they provide."

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

This no be the first time the House dey tackle the sector. In May, lawmakers criticise the NCC over wetin dem call weak oversight, saying e no force operators to deliver reliable service.

Wetin go happen next

The October 28 hearing na where the operators suppose explain wetin dey behind the poor service, wetin dem dey invest for infrastructure and how dem plan to fix subscribers' complaints.

If dem stay away again, the committee don talk say e go move to compel dem.