CEOs of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other licensed operators have until November 4th to honour House Committee’s invitation or face warrant of arrest
The House of Representatives has threatened to issue warrants of arrest against chief executives of telecommunications companies over their failure to appear before a committee investigating persistent poor network services in the country.
The threat followed the rejection of a request by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to represent the affected companies through its chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo.
The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating telecommunications service quality, chaired by Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun State), directed the chief executives and other senior management officials of the operators to appear before it on November 4, 2026, warning that failure to comply could result in arrest warrants.
The committee had invited MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other licensed operators on October 21 to explain persistent complaints of dropped calls, slow internet connectivity, failed airtime and data transactions, and inadequate network coverage.
However, the companies reportedly delegated Adebayo to represent them at the hearing, a decision that angered lawmakers, who insisted that each operator must personally account for its service delivery and respond to complaints against its network.
Moving a motion on the matter, Rep. Sunday Umeha argued that the telecommunications companies held individual licences issued by the Federal Government and could not use their membership of an industry association to evade legislative scrutiny.
He also criticised a letter reportedly sent by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the operators to appear, describing the position as contrary to the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly.
“I was shocked with what I saw in the letter. I saw a situation where ALTON is saying that they are not bound to appear before this committee. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” Rep. Umeha said.
Invoking Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the lawmaker maintained that the National Assembly had the power to investigate matters within its legislative jurisdiction, including the implementation of government policies affecting telecommunications services.
He argued that the committee was not obligated to accept ALTON’s arrangement and that each operator must appear independently unless the lawmakers expressly approved representation by another person.
A representative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) further informed the committee that the commission had individually communicated the invitations to the affected companies’ chief executives.
The disclosure heightened the lawmakers’ displeasure, with members insisting that the operators had received adequate notice and sufficient opportunities to appear before the committee.
Umeha recalled that the committee had considered a motion to summon the executives for arrest at its previous sitting but decided to give them another opportunity to comply.
He said the operators had again failed to honour the invitation despite further communication facilitated through the NCC.
Seconding the motion, the House spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., also faulted ALTON’s attempt to represent the companies, arguing that subscribers deal directly with individual service providers and should be able to hold them accountable for the quality of their networks.
Rotimi raised concerns over poor network coverage in parts of his constituency in Ekiti State, warning that the absence of mobile signals in some communities and along major roads posed serious security risks.
He alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency were killed in an ambush along a road where mobile network signals were unavailable for about 20 minutes.
According to the lawmaker, such connectivity gaps could prevent residents and travellers from contacting security agencies or seeking emergency assistance when confronted with danger.
He also accused telecommunications operators of prioritising commercially profitable locations at the expense of rural communities and other underserved areas where reliable network coverage remained inadequate.
The committee also questioned Adebayo about a reported ₦8.46 billion fine imposed on Globacom, asking whether the ALTON chairman could adequately respond to regulatory and operational concerns involving an individual company while appearing on behalf of the industry.
Following deliberations, Rep. Osoba put Rep. Umeha’s motion to a voice vote, and it was adopted.
The committee subsequently adjourned its sitting until November 4, 2026, when the affected telecommunications operators are expected to appear before the lawmakers.
NCC: Millions of Compensated Subscribers
The investigation comes amid persistent complaints from telecommunications subscribers over poor network quality, including dropped calls, slow internet speeds, failed airtime and data transactions, and inadequate coverage in several locations.
The NCC reportedly disclosed on October 20 that telecommunications operators had compensated 75 million subscribers for poor service in 2026, while nearly three million others received refunds for failed airtime and data transactions.
The commission also reported that more than 6,500 network interventions had been carried out during the year to address service-related challenges.
Despite these measures, complaints about the reliability and consistency of telecommunications services have continued.
Figures for the first half of 2026 showed that the four major operators recorded a combined 413,587 consumer complaints.
Airtel Nigeria accounted for 228,992 complaints, followed by MTN Nigeria with 124,405, Globacom with 56,810 and T2mobile with 3,885.
Although the operators reportedly resolved 406,938 of the complaints, persistent concerns over service quality have raised questions about the effectiveness of existing interventions and consumer protection measures.
The House committee is seeking direct explanations from the companies’ leadership on the causes of recurring network failures and the steps being taken to improve service delivery.
The November 4 hearing is expected to enable lawmakers to scrutinise the operators’ infrastructure investments, compliance with regulatory requirements and plans to extend reliable telecommunications services to rural and underserved communities.
