The House of Representatives committee investigating poor telecommunications services has threatened to issue arrest warrants for the chief executive officers of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and other operators for failing to appear before it.
The ad hoc committee had invited the executives of MTN, Airtel, Glo, Mafab Communications Limited and other telecommunications service providers to appear at its hearing on October 28.
It also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the companies’ chief executives comply with the invitation.
At Wednesday’s sitting, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, attempted to represent the absent executives but was turned down by the lawmakers.
The committee chairman, Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), directed the CEOs to appear personally at the next hearing scheduled for November 4, warning that the panel could issue arrest warrants if they failed to comply.
A member of the committee, Sunday Umeha (APC, Enugu), faulted the operators for allegedly treating the invitation as optional, insisting that their individual licences imposed obligations that could not be discharged through an industry association.
He also criticised a letter reportedly submitted by ALTON challenging the committee’s authority to compel the companies to attend the proceedings.
“They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” Umeha said.
The lawmaker invoked Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to investigate matters within its legislative jurisdiction, including issues affecting telecommunications services.
The committee’s investigation comes amid widespread complaints by Nigerians over unreliable network coverage, poor call quality and inadequate internet services.
The House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, highlighted the security consequences of network deficiencies, particularly in parts of Ekiti State, where some communities and major roads reportedly experience signal blackouts.
Rotimi alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency were killed in an ambush along a road without mobile network coverage.
He warned that the absence of reliable telecommunications infrastructure could leave residents and travellers unable to alert security agencies or call for emergency assistance when confronted with life-threatening situations.
The lawmaker’s concerns underscore the broader implications of poor telecom services, with unreliable connectivity potentially hampering emergency response and the reporting of criminal activities.
In a related development, the NCC disclosed on October 20 that 75 million subscribers had received airtime compensation for poor telecommunications services in 2026.
The regulator said the payments were made under its consumer compensation framework, an initiative intended to address service failures and encourage improved network performance.
The compensation scheme forms part of efforts to protect subscribers’ interests as complaints over the quality of telecommunications services continue to attract regulatory and legislative attention.
The November 4 hearing is expected to give the affected operators an opportunity to respond to the committee’s concerns and explain the challenges behind persistent service deficiencies.
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