The House of Representatives on Wednesday criticised the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over what it described as weak regulatory oversight, blaming the agency for persistent poor telecom services across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Ahmadu Jaha (APC, Borno), who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency during Wednesday’s plenary.
Leading debate on the motion, Jaha said telecommunications had become central to Nigeria’s economy and daily life but lamented the widening gap between subscriber expectations and actual service delivery.
He cited frequent dropped calls, slow internet speeds and failed message delivery as evidence of systemic inefficiencies in the sector.
“This affects both personal communication and business operations, leading to frustration and financial losses,” he said.
Jaha also raised concerns over what he described as a mismatch between the high cost of telecom services and the quality delivered.
He further decried poor customer service, noting that subscribers often struggle to get timely responses to complaints.
Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, accused telecom operators of prioritising profit over service improvement and faulted the NCC for what he termed regulatory complacency.
“It is like these companies have made enough profits in billions and no longer care about improving the network. The NCC, the regulator, has become complacent,” he said.
Following deliberations, the House called on telecom operators to invest in modern infrastructure, expand coverage to rural areas, improve customer service and ensure fair pricing that reflects service quality.
Lawmakers also directed the NCC to enforce stricter quality standards and hold service providers accountable.
The House further resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the root causes of poor telecom service delivery and recommend appropriate legislative action.
