Reps give telecom CEOs until November 4 or face arrest warrants

The House of Representatives has given chief executives of Nigeria's telecom operators until November 4, 2026, to appear before its ad hoc committee investigating poor network services, warning that arrest warrants will follow if they stay away.

The committee, chaired by Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), issued the warning on Wednesday after rejecting an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to represent the companies through its chairman, Gbenga Adebayo.

The operators invited include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other licensed companies. The committee wants them to explain dropped calls, slow internet, failed airtime and data purchases, and weak coverage in many communities.

Lawmakers said the executives must appear in person, not send an industry body to speak for them.

Why lawmakers are angry

Sunday Umeha, who moved the motion, said each operator holds its own licence from the Federal Government and cannot hide behind ALTON membership.

He also criticised a letter reportedly written by ALTON questioning the committee's power to compel the companies to attend.

"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," Umeha said.

He cited Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the National Assembly power to investigate matters within its legislative competence.

A representative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms regulator, told the committee that invitations had been sent directly to the chief executives.

Umeha said the committee had considered seeking arrest warrants at its last sitting but gave the executives another chance. They still did not show up, he said.

House spokesman Akin Rotimi backed the motion, saying subscribers deal with individual companies and should be able to hold each one to account.

Rotimi raised security concerns about parts of his Ekiti constituency where mobile signals are weak or absent. He alleged that two traditional rulers there were killed in an ambush along a road with no network for about 20 minutes, leaving people unable to call for help.

The committee also questioned Adebayo about a reported ₦8.46bn fine on Globacom, asking whether he could properly answer for one company while speaking for the whole industry.

The motion passed by voice vote and the committee adjourned to November 4.

What happens next

If the chief executives appear on November 4, they will face questions on the causes of the failures, their compliance with regulations and their plans to improve coverage, especially in rural areas.

If they do not, the committee has said it will move to compel them through arrest warrants.

The hearing comes as complaints persist despite NCC compensation measures. The commission said on October 20 that operators had compensated 75 million subscribers for poor service in 2026, with nearly three million others refunded for failed airtime and data purchases.

It also reported more than 6,500 network interventions during the year. Still, NCC figures for the first half of 2026 showed 413,587 complaints against the four major operators, of which 406,938 were reportedly resolved. Airtel had 228,992, MTN 124,405, Globacom 56,810 and T2mobile 3,885 — a sum that exceeds the stated total by 505, a discrepancy that needs clarification.

For ordinary Nigerians, the stakes are practical: payments at Point of Sale terminals, business calls, online banking and reaching emergency services all depend on a network that works.