• The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, warned telecom operators to improve network quality or face sanctions
• The Federal Government has secured World Bank-backed funding for nationwide fibre infrastructure under Project BRIDGE
• NCC urged Nigerians to expect improvements in call quality, data speed, and network coverage

Nigeria’s telecommunications operators, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2, may face sanctions if they fail to improve network quality and service delivery, according to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.

Tijani made this known in a statement shared with Nairametrics on Sunday, May 10, stressing that telecom operators now have the resources and operating environment needed to address persistent network failures affecting Nigerians.

His warning comes shortly after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission clarified that it did not suspend airtime borrowing or data advance services, blaming temporary disruptions on service providers instead.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has already secured major investments aimed at transforming Nigeria’s digital infrastructure within the next few years.

He revealed that funding backed by the World Bank has been secured to support Project BRIDGE, a special purpose vehicle designed to expand nationwide fibre connectivity.

“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,” Tijani said.

He added that fibre deployment, new telecom tower installations through NUCAP, and expanded satellite capabilities would begin before the end of the year.

Explaining the expected impact, the minister stated that small business owners should eventually enjoy reliable and high-speed fibre internet services directly in their homes and workplaces rather than depending on unstable mobile networks and dongles.

Tijani maintained that telecom companies are currently operating in a more stable and transparent market environment and have returned to profitability, giving them enough capacity to improve network quality nationwide.

“Let me therefore be clear: the conditions required for improved service delivery have now been established,” he said.

“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 also reaffirmed that the Nigerian Communications Commission has been empowered to independently monitor telecom performance and enforce compliance with industry standards.

According to him, the ministry will rely on periodic performance reports from the NCC as well as complaints and feedback from Nigerians to monitor progress across the sector.

“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance, and coverage,” Tijani warned.

He further stated that operators delivering quality service would be acknowledged, while those failing to meet regulatory standards should expect sanctions from the NCC.

The latest warning follows renewed efforts by the NCC to strengthen consumer protection in Nigeria’s telecom industry. The Commission recently directed mobile network operators to compensate subscribers in areas where service quality falls below approved standards.

Nigeria’s telecom sector has continued to face criticism over poor network reception, frequent call drops, and slow internet speeds despite rising telecom tariffs.

To address the situation, the NCC introduced new Quality of Service regulations in 2024, setting stricter performance benchmarks for operators, including call setup success rates, network congestion levels, and call drop rates.

The Commission also disclosed that telecom operators invested over $1 billion in network infrastructure after the approval of a 50 per cent tariff adjustment, a move regulators say helped reverse years of underinvestment in the sector.

FCCPC approves 5 airtime lenders as MTN, Airtel halt borrowing services

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigeria's telecom landscape has undergone a shift as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) approved five companies to provide airtime and data lending services, effectively replacing mobile network operators (MNOs) that have stepped back due to regulatory changes.

The FCCPC disclosed that five firms including Total Tim Nigeria Limited, Rane Interractive Medien CLS Limited, Mode NG Applications Limited, Cloud Interractive Associate Limited, and Coverage Broadband Limited, had been cleared to operate as licensed airtime and data lenders.