The Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani has declared that excuses will no longer be acceptable regarding the quality of telecommunications services in Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, the Minister revealed that the foundational conditions for improved service delivery have now been established, placing the burden of performance squarely on the shoulders of major operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2.
According to the statement, the Minister noted long-standing connectivity challenges which were previously hindered by structural underinvestment through a dual-track approach focused on both long-term infrastructure and immediate stabilization.
To address long-term structural issues, the Minister disclosed that Nigeria secured funding led by the World Bank to launch Project BRIDGE, a special purpose vehicle designed to deliver nationwide open-access fiber infrastructure.
This initiative, alongside tower rollouts via NUCAP and expanded satellite capabilities, aims to permanently transform Nigerian connectivity over the next two to five years.
In the short term, the government worked to restore industry sustainability by allowing tariff adjustments, designating telecom equipment as Critical National Infrastructure and harmonizing taxes amidst broader macroeconomic reforms.
Dr. Tijani emphasized that these reforms have successfully returned telecom operators to profitability, providing them with the necessary resources to address outstanding network issues.
He stated that it is now the responsibility of the operators to take the necessary steps to deliver the level of service Nigerians expect.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been fully empowered, without interference, to monitor performance and enforce service standards,” he said.
He added that the Ministry will continue to utilize the NCC’s periodic reports and direct feedback from the public to track network performance.
He concluded with a firm warning that while operators who deliver will be recognized, the NCC is expected to take appropriate regulatory action against those who fail to meet standards.