The Federal Government has charged Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country to improve their quality of service (QoS) and comply with all regulatory directives by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with a view to ensuring that telecoms subscribers get value on their voice and data tariffs.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, in a statement issued on Sunday, noted that Nigeria’s connectivity gaps remained largely structural due to several years of underinvestment and constraints on operators.
He maintained that as part of its commitment to improve telecom services nationwide and boost investor confidence, the government had addressed the lingering challenge through long-term infrastructure planning and sector-stabilisation measures.
The minister stated that the long-term reforms focused on expanding infrastructure through fibre optics deployment and tower building initiatives designed to close critical gaps in the rapidly evolving digital economy landscape.
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According to him, the World Bank has supported the investments in the digital infrastructure through Project BRIDGE, as well as other investments in satellite capacity to boost nationwide coverage and transform the nation’s internet connectivity over the next two to five years.
He recalled that when the present administration assumed office, it was clear that Nigeria’s connectivity challenges were structural, driven by years of underinvestment in infrastructure and constraints that limited the ability of operators to deliver quality service.
Tijani further clarified: “We have addressed this on two fronts, namely through the long-term structural solution. 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. Deployment of fibre will commence, alongside new tower rollouts through NUCAP, before the end of the year even as we also expand our satellite capability.
“These investments will address the foundational gaps in our digital infrastructure over the next two to five years and permanently transform connectivity across Nigeria”, the minister added.
On other measures by the government to boost the performance of the telecoms sector, he listed these as including tariff adjustments, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, tax harmonisation efforts, broader macroeconomic reforms, and creation of a more transparent and market-driven environment, thereby giving telcos the capacity to invest in network improvements.
He stressed that it had now became 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.
For the purposes of effective regulation, the minister said that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had been fully empowered to monitor performance, enforce standards, and ensure compliance, with sanctions expected for defaulting operators.
