Nigerian govt threatens to sanction Airtel, Glo, others over poor network
The Federal Government has issued a warning to telecommunications operators to enhance service quality or face potential regulatory sanctions. The announcement underscores that recent reforms offer no justification for subpar network performance.
In a statement released on Sunday, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, attributed Nigeria’s connectivity issues to structural challenges stemming from years of underinvestment and operational constraints faced by providers.
Dr. Tijani explained that the government is addressing these challenges by implementing long-term infrastructure strategies and immediate measures aimed at stabilizing the sector to rebuild sustainability and bolster investor confidence.
“When we assumed office, it was evident that Nigeria’s connectivity challenges were deeply rooted, aggravated by years of inadequate investment in infrastructure and constraints limiting operators’ service delivery,” Dr. Tijani said.
He detailed the government’s approach, noting, “We are tackling this from two angles. First, the long-term solution involves securing funding primarily from the World Bank and establishing a framework for a special purpose vehicle under Project BRIDGE, which aims to provide nationwide open access to fiber infrastructure.”
The Minister announced that fiber deployment will begin alongside new tower installations through the National Universal Communications Access Project (NUCAP) by year’s end, while efforts to enhance satellite capabilities are also underway.
In terms of immediate measures, Dr. Tijani highlighted actions taken to stabilize the sector, including tariff adjustments, the classification of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonization initiatives, and broader macroeconomic reforms.
“These adjustments have restored profitability for operators and fostered a more transparent, market-driven environment, empowering telcos to invest in network enhancements,” he noted.
He emphasized that the responsibility now rests with telecom operators, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile, to rectify network issues and meet the service expectations of Nigerian consumers.
Dr. Tijani confirmed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been tasked with monitoring performance, enforcing standards, and ensuring compliance, with regulatory action pending for operators that fail to meet expectations.
