Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani has directed telecommunications operators to urgently improve service quality, warning that the Nigerian Communications Commission has been empowered to take regulatory action against defaulters.
In a statement on telecoms service quality, Tijani said operators are now in a “more stable and market-driven environment” and have returned to profitability following federal reforms to stabilise the sector. “The conditions required for improved service delivery have now been established,” he said.
“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.” The minister said the government expects “clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and coverage” going forward.
Tijani said the NCC will monitor operators, enforce standards, and ensure compliance, with government relying on the commission’s periodic reports and public feedback to track performance. “Where operators deliver, it will be recognised. Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action,” he said. He added that Nigerians “should begin to see improvements in quality of service and get value that they paid for now, and in the future”.
The minister said fibre deployment and new tower rollouts through NUCAP will commence before the end of 2026, backed by World Bank-led funding under ‘Project BRIDGE’ for nationwide open-access fibre infrastructure. Satellite capability will also be expanded, he said.
Tijani attributed connectivity gaps to years of underinvestment, noting recent reforms include tariff adjustments, designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, and tax harmonisation. “A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop,” he said.
