The Federal Government has stepped up pressure on telecommunications operators to improve service delivery nationwide, insisting that Nigerians must begin to enjoy better connectivity and value for money.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the government had already implemented key reforms to stabilise the telecom sector and now expects operators to address persistent network issues affecting millions of subscribers.
“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,” Tijani said in a statement released on Sunday.
According to the minister, the administration inherited deep-rooted structural problems in the telecom industry, largely caused by years of underinvestment in critical infrastructure.
He noted that recurring service disruptions and poor connectivity stem from infrastructure deficiencies that have weakened efficient nationwide service delivery.
To tackle the challenges, Tijani said the government had introduced both immediate and long-term reforms aimed at transforming Nigeria’s digital infrastructure landscape.
As part of the long-term plan, he disclosed that the government had secured funding support led by the World Bank and established a framework under Project BRIDGE to expand fibre-optic infrastructure across the country.
“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,” he stated.
The minister added that nationwide fibre deployment and the rollout of additional telecom towers through NUCAP would commence before the end of the year, alongside efforts to strengthen satellite connectivity capacity.
According to him, the investments are expected to bridge major infrastructure gaps within the next two to five years and significantly improve internet access and network reliability nationwide.
Tijani said the government’s objective is to ensure Nigerians enjoy stable, high-speed internet services in homes and business locations.
“A small business owner should be able to access reliable, high-speed fibre internet directly at their home or shop, not rely solely on dongles or unstable mobile connections,” he said.
He also highlighted short-term reforms already introduced by the government, including tariff adjustments, tax harmonisation measures, economic reforms, and the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure.
According to Tijani, the reforms have created a more stable, transparent, and market-driven operating environment for telecom firms, many of which have now returned to profitability.
“They are now operating in a more stable, transparent, and market-driven environment and have returned to profitability,” he said.
The minister stressed that operators now possess both the financial capacity and enabling environment required to improve service quality, adding that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been empowered to monitor compliance and sanction erring firms where necessary.
He warned that the government would increasingly depend on consumer complaints and regulatory assessments to hold operators accountable.
“Where operators deliver, it will be recognised, and where they do not, the Commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action,” Tijani added.
Reaffirming the government’s position, the minister said Nigerians deserve telecom services that reflect the cost paid by subscribers.
“Nigerians should begin to see improvements in Quality of Service and get value that they paid for now, and in the future. And we will ensure that the sector delivers,” he said.
