NCC Ready To Sanction Telcos Over Poor Service — Tijani

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, , has warned telecommunications operators to improve the quality of their services or face regulatory sanctions from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

Tijani, in a statement issued on Sunday, said telecom operators now operate in a more stable and profitable environment following reforms introduced by the Federal Government to revive the sector.

According to him, operators now have the financial capacity to address persistent network failures and improve service delivery to Nigerians.

“The conditions required for improved service delivery have now been established. It is the responsibility of operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and 9mobile to resolve network challenges and provide the quality of service Nigerians deserve,” he said.

The minister stated that the NCC has been empowered to closely monitor operators, enforce compliance with industry standards and take necessary regulatory actions against defaulting companies.

He added that government would rely on periodic reports from the commission, as well as feedback from subscribers, to assess improvements in call quality, data services and network coverage nationwide.

Tijani assured Nigerians that noticeable improvements in telecom services would soon be experienced, stressing that operators who fail to meet expectations would be sanctioned accordingly.

Speaking further, the minister attributed the country’s connectivity challenges to years of underinvestment in digital infrastructure.

He, however, disclosed that the Federal Government had secured World Bank-backed funding under Project BRIDGE to drive nationwide fibre optic expansion and open-access digital infrastructure.

He revealed that fibre deployment and new telecom tower rollouts under the NUCAP initiative would commence before the end of the year, alongside efforts to strengthen satellite connectivity across the country.

According to him, the investments are expected to bridge major infrastructure gaps and improve internet access for businesses and households within the next two to five years.

Tijani also listed recent government reforms in the telecom sector to include tariff adjustments, harmonisation of taxes and the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure aimed at protecting investments and improving service delivery.