The Federal Government has warned telecom operators to improve service quality or face regulatory sanctions, saying recent reforms have stabilised the sector and removed excuses for poor network performance.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, issued the warning in a statement on Sunday, emphasising that Nigeria’s connectivity gaps were largely structural, driven by years of underinvestment and constraints on operators.
Tijani said the government had tackled the problem through long-term infrastructure planning and immediate sector-stabilisation measures aimed at restoring sustainability and investor confidence.
He noted that funding has been secured with support from the World Bank for Project BRIDGE, alongside additional investments in satellite capacity to boost nationwide coverage. These interventions are expected to transform connectivity over the next two to five years.
“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,” Tijani said.
Speaking on immediate interventions, the minister said the government has stabilised the sector through tariff adjustments, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, and broader macroeconomic reforms.
“It is now the responsibility of telecom operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and deliver the level of service Nigerians expect,” the minister insisted.
Tijani stressed that the Nigerian Communications Commission has been fully empowered to monitor performance, enforce standards, and ensure compliance, with sanctions expected for defaulting operators.
He said Nigerians should begin to see measurable improvements in call quality, data speed, and network coverage, adding that the government will continue to rely on regulatory reports and user feedback to hold operators accountable.
