The House of Representatives committee investigating the persistent poor quality of telecommunications services in Nigeria has given the chief executives of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other operators seven days to appear before it.
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The operators have been directed to attend a public hearing on October 28, 2026, to explain the continued decline in network quality and their failure to honour previous invitations.
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The ultimatum was issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the House Ad Hoc Committee following the adoption of two motions sponsored by lawmakers Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene.
The committee expressed displeasure over the failure of some invited operators, including MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications, to attend earlier proceedings.
It subsequently directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that all affected companies comply with the invitation and appear at 2pm on October 28 at Hearing Room 447 of the New Building of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The operators must also submit relevant documents by the scheduled date and explain the factors responsible for the persistent deterioration in service quality affecting subscribers and businesses across the country.
The lawmakers warned that chief executives who fail to appear could face arrest summonses to compel their attendance.
Speaking at the hearing, committee chairman Olumide Osoba, who represents Ogun State under the All Progressives Congress, said reliable telecommunications services were essential to Nigeria’s economy.
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He noted that the importance of telecommunications extended beyond phone calls and internet access to vital commercial activities, including Point of Sale transactions.
According to Osoba, businesses, financial transactions and other essential services depend heavily on reliable networks, making repeated disruptions a serious national concern.
He explained that the House established the committee to investigate persistent complaints from subscribers and determine the causes of poor service delivery by telecommunications operators.
Osoba also criticised the invited executives for allegedly avoiding direct engagement with the committee by giving various excuses or sending junior officials to represent them.
He insisted that the chief executives must attend personally because they were better placed to explain their companies’ operational challenges and plans to improve service delivery.
Another member of the committee, Ibe Osonwa, accused the operators of showing disregard for the House despite generating substantial revenue from their Nigerian operations.
Osonwa said companies benefiting from the Nigerian market should not ignore legislative invitations, particularly when lawmakers were seeking answers about services affecting their customers and the wider economy.
He maintained that telecommunications companies had a responsibility to account for the quality of services they provided and warned that the House would not tolerate attempts to frustrate its investigation.
In his ruling, Osoba urged the NCC to ensure that all the affected operators complied with the directive, appeared on October 28 and presented the required documents and explanations concerning their network performance.
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