By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives has given chief executive officers of major telecommunications companies seven days to appear before it over persistent poor network services, warning that those who fail to comply could face arrest.
The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the deteriorating quality of telecommunications services issued the ultimatum on Wednesday, directing the CEOs of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other affected operators to appear on October 28, 2026.
The decision followed the adoption of two motions sponsored by Hon. Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene after lawmakers expressed displeasure over the failure of some invited operators, including MTN and Mafab Communications, to honour previous invitations.
The Committee directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that all affected operators comply with the directive and appear at 2 p.m. on the scheduled date at Hearing Room 447 of the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
It also ordered the companies to submit relevant documents before the hearing and explain the factors responsible for the persistent decline in network quality, which continues to disrupt communication, commercial activities and essential services nationwide.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun), warned that any chief executive who failed to appear could be subjected to an arrest summons to compel compliance.
Osoba said telecommunications had become indispensable to Nigeria’s economy, extending beyond voice calls and internet access to financial transactions, business operations and other essential services, including Point of Sale (POS) payments.
He explained that the committee was established to investigate recurring complaints by subscribers and identify the causes of poor service delivery by telecommunications operators.
The chairman, however, criticised the companies for allegedly evading direct engagement with lawmakers by offering excuses or sending junior officials to represent them.
He insisted that the chief executives must appear personally because they are best positioned to explain their companies’ operational challenges, investment commitments and plans to improve service delivery.
Also speaking, Hon.. Ibe Osonwa condemned what he described as the operators’ disregard for the National Assembly, despite the substantial revenue they generate from the Nigerian market.
Osonwa said it was unacceptable for companies benefiting from millions of Nigerian subscribers to ignore legislative invitations, particularly when the investigation concerns services that directly affect their customers and the wider economy.
He stressed that the operators must be held accountable for the quality of services they provide, warning that the House would not tolerate attempts to frustrate its investigation.
In his ruling, Osoba reiterated the committee’s directive to the NCC to ensure that all affected operators appear on October 28 with the requested documents and provide satisfactory explanations for the persistent network problems.
The lawmakers maintained that the hearing would provide an opportunity for the operators to account for their performance and address subscribers’ growing concerns over unreliable telecommunications services.
