Reps summon telcos over poor services, give seven days ultimatum

The House of Representatives has instructed major telecommunications operators to appear before it within seven days concerning subpar network services throughout the nation. This ultimatum was issued during a public hearing in Abuja on Wednesday by the House Ad Hoc Committee, which is responsible for evaluating the quality of telecommunications services.

The committee, led by Olumide Osoba, who represents the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ogun State, instructed the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the telecommunications companies to attend a meeting on October 28, 2026. The summons followed the approval of two motions introduced by Reps. Sunday Umeha and Afam Ogene after the telecommunications companies ignored previous calls to address the issue.

The committee instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to guarantee that all affected operators show up at 2 p.m. on October 28 at Hearing Room 447 of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. They also ordered the companies to provide relevant documents before the hearing and explain the persistent decline in service quality.

The lawmakers warned that any CEO who fails to show up could face an arrest warrant to ensure their attendance. During the hearing, Osoba emphasized that telecommunications services have become vital to the nation's economy, extending beyond simple calls and internet access to include point-of-sale transactions, financial services, and business operations.

He noted that Nigerians' increasing reliance on telecommunications networks for these essential services makes persistent poor service a matter of significant national concern.