TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE

Minister Warns Telecom Operators Over Poor Services

by admin on | 2026-05-11 11:25:49

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Minister Warns Telecom Operators Over Poor Services

By Mohammad Bala Imam

The  Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has issued a firm mandate to telecommunications operators to immediately improve service quality, asserting that the government has successfully cleared the structural and economic hurdles previously hindering the sector.

In a comprehensive statement on the state of the industry, the Minister revealed that the Federal Government has transitioned from a phase of stabilisation to a phase of expected performance.

He noted that the environment is now "market-driven and transparent," following difficult but necessary reforms.

The Minister disclosed that the government secured funding, led by the World Bank, for Project BRIDGE, a nationwide open-access fibre initiative aimed at expanding broadband connectivity across the country. According to him, fibre deployment and new tower rollouts under NUCAP will begin before the end of the year, alongside efforts to expand satellite connectivity.

Dr Tijani explained that the projects are designed to provide reliable high-speed internet access to homes and businesses, reducing dependence on unstable mobile networks.

Tijani also highlighted immediate measures taken to stabilise the telecommunications sector, including tariff adjustments, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, and broader economic reforms.

The minister said the reforms had improved the operating environment for telecom companies, enabling operators to return to profitability and invest in fixing network challenges.

"A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high-speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop, not rely solely on dongles or unstable mobile connections," the Minister stated, defining the administration's goal for "meaningful connectivity."

With operators returning to profitability and the naira floating, Dr Tijani emphasized that the "excuses" for poor service have been removed.

He specifically named major players—MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile (T2)—noting that it is now their responsibility to resolve network challenges.

Dr Tijani added that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been granted full autonomy to monitor performance and enforce compliance. The Minister warned that the government will rely on NCC reports and public feedback to track progress.

"Where operators deliver, it will be recognized. Where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action," Tijani warned, signalling an end to the era of sub-par call quality and data performance.