The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has declared that the conditions necessary for improved telecom service delivery in Nigeria have now been established, placing renewed responsibility on network operators to significantly improve quality of service across the country or face sanctions, Techeconomy can report.
Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, stated these in his LinkedIn post on ‘telecom service quality’, in which the Federal Government acknowledged that Nigeria’s connectivity challenges were largely structural, driven by years of underinvestment in digital infrastructure and operational constraints affecting telecom operators.
Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in March 2026, directed mobile network operators to compensate subscribers who experience poor network quality, marking a major shift towards consumer protection in the country’s telecommunications sector.
The Commission stated that subscribers should not bear the burden of service failures where operators fall short of prescribed Quality of Service (QoS) standards.
Under the new directive, telecom operators will be required to provide compensation directly to affected users for breaches of key performance indicators (KPIs).
Now, the Minister even said the government is tackling challenges faced by operators through both long-term infrastructure investments and immediate sector stabilisation reforms.
Tijani reiterated that the government has secured funding led by the World Bank and established a special purpose vehicle under Project BRIDGE to deliver nationwide open-access fibre infrastructure.
He also revealed that fibre deployment, alongside new telecom tower rollouts under the Nigerian Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), would commence before the end of the year, while satellite capabilities are also being expanded.
“These investments will address the foundational gaps in our digital infrastructure over the next two to five years and permanently transform connectivity across Nigeria,” the statement noted.
The Minister explained that the government’s target is to ensure that small businesses and households can access reliable high-speed fibre internet services instead of depending solely on unstable mobile connections and dongles.
On sector reforms, the government said it had taken difficult decisions aimed at restoring sustainability in the telecommunications industry.
These include tariff adjustments, recognition of telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, and broader macroeconomic reforms.
According to the statement, telecom operators are now operating in a more stable, transparent, and market-driven environment, with many returning to profitability.
Tijani stressed that operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and T2 now have both the capacity and resources to resolve persistent network issues and improve customer experience.
The Minister also reaffirmed the regulatory independence of the Nigerian Communications Commission, stating that the Commission has been fully empowered to monitor network performance, enforce service standards, and ensure compliance across the telecom industry.
He said the government would continue to rely on periodic reports from the NCC as well as feedback from Nigerians, including complaints shared across public platforms, to assess operators’ performance.
“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and coverage,” the Minister stated.
He added that operators delivering quality service would be recognised, while those failing to meet expectations should expect regulatory sanctions from the Commission.
The statement comes amid growing consumer frustration over poor network quality, dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and inconsistent data services despite recent increases in telecom tariffs.
