Reps Threaten Arrest of Telecom CEOs Over Poor Network Services

The House of Representatives has threatened to issue warrants of arrest against chief executives of telecommunications companies over persistent poor network services, giving MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other operators until November 4, 2026, to appear before its investigative committee.

The warning followed the rejection of an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to represent the affected companies through its chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, at a hearing on Wednesday.

The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the quality of telecommunications services, chaired by Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), insisted that the chief executives and top management officials of the affected operators must appear personally to account for their companies’ service delivery.

The committee had invited the operators on October 21 to explain persistent complaints of dropped calls, slow internet connectivity, failed airtime and data transactions, and inadequate network coverage across the country.

However, the companies reportedly delegated Adebayo to represent them, a move that lawmakers rejected, insisting that each operator must take direct responsibility for its services.

Moving a motion on the matter, Rep. Sunday Umeha argued that the telecommunications companies were individually licensed by the Federal Government and could not use their membership of an industry association to evade legislative scrutiny.

He also criticised a letter reportedly written by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the operators to appear, describing the position as contrary to the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly.

“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. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” Umeha said.

Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, he maintained that the National Assembly had the authority to investigate matters within its legislative competence, including the implementation of government policies affecting telecommunications services.

Umeha argued that the committee was not bound by ALTON’s internal arrangements and that the operators must appear individually unless the committee expressly approved an authorised representative.

A representative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) further confirmed that the commission had communicated the invitations directly to the chief executives.

The disclosure angered lawmakers, who maintained that the operators had received sufficient notice and adequate opportunities to honour the invitation.

Umeha recalled that the committee had considered summoning the executives for arrest at its previous sitting but decided to give them another opportunity to appear. He said the operators had again failed to honour the invitation despite further communication through the NCC.

Seconding the motion, House spokesperson Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr. faulted ALTON’s attempt to speak on behalf of the operators, arguing that subscribers deal directly with individual service providers and should be able to hold each company accountable for its network performance.

Rotimi raised concerns over poor network coverage in parts of his constituency in Ekiti State, warning that connectivity gaps could pose serious security risks.

He alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency had been killed in an ambush along a road where mobile network signals were unavailable for about 20 minutes.

According to him, such gaps could prevent residents and travellers from contacting security agencies or seeking emergency assistance during dangerous situations.

The lawmaker also accused operators of concentrating infrastructure in commercially attractive locations while leaving rural communities and other underserved areas with inadequate coverage.

The committee further questioned Adebayo over a reported ₦8.46 billion fine imposed on Globacom, asking whether he could adequately address regulatory and operational issues concerning an individual company while appearing in a representative capacity.

Following deliberations, the committee adopted Umeha’s motion through a voice vote and adjourned its sitting until November 4, when the affected operators are expected to appear.

75m Subscribers Compensated as Complaints Persist

The investigation comes amid continuing public complaints over unreliable telecommunications services, including dropped calls, slow internet speeds, failed transactions and poor network coverage.

The NCC reportedly disclosed on October 20 that operators had compensated 75 million subscribers for poor service in 2026, while nearly three million other subscribers received refunds for failed airtime and data transactions.

The commission also reported that more than 6,500 network interventions had been carried out during the year to address service-related challenges.

Despite the interventions and compensation measures, complaints about service reliability have persisted.

Data for the first half of 2026 showed that the four major operators recorded a combined 413,587 consumer complaints.

Airtel Nigeria accounted for 228,992 complaints, followed by MTN Nigeria with 124,405, Globacom with 56,810 and T2mobile with 3,885.

Although the operators reportedly resolved 406,938 complaints, concerns remain over the consistency and reliability of services provided to subscribers.

The House committee is seeking direct explanations from the operators’ leadership on the causes of persistent service failures and the concrete measures being taken to improve network quality.

The November 4 hearing is expected to focus on infrastructure investment, compliance with regulatory requirements and efforts to extend reliable telecommunications services to rural and underserved communities.