Nigeria has ordered telecommunications operators to improve service quality or face regulatory sanctions, saying recent government reforms and infrastructure investments have removed many of the constraints affecting the sector.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani said operators now have the financial capacity and operating environment needed to resolve persistent network problems affecting consumers across the country.
In a statement released on Sunday, Tijani said the government had addressed major structural challenges limiting service delivery through investments in digital infrastructure and reforms aimed at stabilising the telecom sector.
“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,” he said.
The minister warned that operators failing to show measurable improvements in network quality and coverage would face regulatory action from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
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Nigeria’s telecom industry, one of Africa’s largest, has faced growing customer complaints over poor call quality, unreliable mobile data services and network congestion.
The government said it had launched long-term infrastructure initiatives aimed at transforming national connectivity, including the “Project BRIDGE” programme unveiled in August 2025.
The initiative seeks to expand Nigeria’s fibre-optic backbone network from roughly 30,000 kilometres to 120,000 kilometres and connect all 774 local government areas.
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According to the government, the project has already secured major international financing, including $200 million from the African Development Bank, $500 million from the World Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Tijani said deployment of fibre infrastructure and new telecommunications towers would begin before the end of the year alongside expansion of satellite connectivity.
The government said the investments would improve internet access for businesses and households while reducing dependence on unstable mobile broadband connections.
Authorities also highlighted recent reforms designed to improve the sector’s financial sustainability.
The minister said measures including tariff adjustments, tax harmonisation efforts, the designation of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, and wider economic reforms had helped restore profitability in the industry.
Nigeria floated the naira currency and removed fuel subsidies as part of broader economic reforms introduced over the past two years.
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“These reforms have now enabled operators to function in a more stable, transparent and market-driven environment,” Tijani said.
The NCC has been tasked with independently monitoring network performance and enforcing service standards across the sector.
The communications ministry said it would rely on periodic reports from the regulator as well as public feedback from consumers to assess improvements in quality of service.
“Going forward, we expect to see clear and measurable improvements in call quality, data performance and coverage,” the minister said.
“Where operators deliver, it will be recognised. Where they do not, the commission is expected to take appropriate regulatory action.”
Nigeria’s telecom sector plays a central role in the country’s digital economy, supporting mobile banking, e-commerce and digital public services for millions of users.
Analysts say improving network reliability will be critical as Nigeria pushes ahead with broader digital transformation and financial inclusion goals.
