The Federal Government has warned telecommunications operators in Nigeria to improve the quality of their services or face regulatory sanctions, declaring that recent reforms in the sector have eliminated excuses for poor network performance.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, issued the warning in a statement on Sunday, saying the government had taken decisive steps to address the structural challenges that have long hindered the telecommunications industry.
According to the minister, Nigeria’s connectivity gaps were largely caused by years of underinvestment in infrastructure and operational constraints that limited operators’ ability to provide efficient services.
He explained that the government had adopted both long-term and immediate measures to reposition the sector, restore investor confidence, and improve service delivery nationwide.
As part of the long-term strategy, the government is expanding telecommunications infrastructure through fibre deployment and new tower rollout initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s digital backbone.
Tijani disclosed that funding had been secured through support from the World Bank under Project BRIDGE, while additional investments were being made to expand satellite capacity and improve nationwide coverage.
“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 said.
“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 expand our satellite capability,” he added.
The minister also highlighted immediate interventions introduced by the government to stabilize the sector, including tariff adjustments, the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, and broader macroeconomic reforms.
According to him, these measures have restored profitability in the industry and created a more transparent, market-driven environment that enables operators to invest in network upgrades and improved service quality.
Tijani stressed that telecommunications companies, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile, must now take full responsibility for resolving persistent network challenges affecting subscribers across the country.
“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,” he stated.
He further noted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had been fully empowered to monitor operators’ performance, enforce compliance with service standards, and sanction defaulting companies where necessary.
