A House of Representatives committee has summoned the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major telecommunications companies operating in Nigeria over poor network quality across the country.
The ad hoc committee investigating poor telecom services issued the summons on Wednesday, demanding that the heads of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), Mafab Communications Limited, and other service providers appear before it on October 28.
The panel passed the resolution after lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the alleged failure of the chief executives to honour earlier invitations.
The committee directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the CEOs comply with the summons.
The lawmakers asked the service providers to explain the persistent decline in service quality, which has disrupted communication and commercial activities for millions of subscribers and businesses nationwide.
The committee threatened to issue arrest warrants to compel chief executives who failed to appear.
The Committee Chairman, Olumide Osoba, said telecommunications plays a significant role in Nigeria’s economy, noting that the sector has evolved beyond voice calls and internet connectivity to become integral to essential commercial transactions, including point-of-sale (POS) payments.
He said businesses, financial services, and other critical economic activities rely heavily on stable telecommunications networks, adding that deteriorating service delivery is a national concern.
Osoba explained that the committee was set up to probe the barrage of subscriber complaints and uncover the underlying causes of the substandard services.
An Abia lawmaker, Ibe Osonwa, said the CEOs’ failure to appear before the committee shows disregard for parliament.
Osonwa said companies that benefit significantly from the Nigerian market could not reasonably ignore invitations from the legislature, especially when the inquiry concerned the quality of services they provide to customers and the broader economy.
On Tuesday, NCC said 75 million subscribers have received airtime compensation for poor telecom service in 2026.
The regulator said the intervention under the consumer compensation framework is expected to translate into better connectivity for consumers.
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