The Federal Government has warned telecommunications operators to improve service quality or face regulatory sanctions. It warned that its recent reforms do not allow excuses for poor network performance.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, issued the warning in a statement on Sunday, stating that Nigeria’s connectivity gaps were largely structural, driven by years of underinvestment and constraints on operators.
He said the government has tackled these problems through long-term infrastructure planning and immediate sector-stabilization measures aimed at restoring sustainability and investor confidence.
He said, “When we assumed office, it was clear that Nigeria’s connectivity challenges were structural, driven by years of underinvestment in infrastructure and constraints that limited the ability of operators to deliver quality service,” the Minister noted.
“We have addressed this on two fronts. First, the long-term structural solution. We have secured funding, led by the World Bank, and established the framework for a special purpose vehicle with Project BRIDGE, to deliver nationwide open access fibre infrastructure.
“Deployment of fibre will commence, alongside new tower rollouts through NUCAP, before the end of the year even as we also expand our satellite capability.”
“Regarding immediate interventions, the government has stabilized the sector through tariff adjustments, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonization efforts, and broader macroeconomic reforms.
“These changes have restored operator profitability and created a more transparent, market-driven environment, giving telcos the capacity to invest in network improvements.
“It is now the responsibility of telecom operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and deliver the level of service Nigerians expect,” the minister insisted.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been fully empowered to monitor performance, enforce standards, and ensure compliance, with sanctions expected for defaulting operators,” he said.
