Nigeria's House of Representatives has given the chief executive officers of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab and other telecom operators until November 4 to appear before lawmakers and account for persistently poor network services — and has threatened to arrest them if they fail to show up.

The CEOs were initially scheduled to appear before the House on October 28, but the ad hoc committee — a panel set up specifically to investigate persistent poor network services — postponed the date after rejecting an attempt by Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), to represent the telecom operators. The committee has also threatened to arrest the CEOs if they fail to appear on the rescheduled date.

Chaired by Olumide Osoba, the committee insisted that the CEOs and other senior management officials of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab and other operators must appear before the House and account for their companies' service delivery. The executives are also expected to explain the challenges they face and the measures they are currently taking to resolve the issues.

The summons comes amid public outcry over a continued drop in the quality of experience across voice and data services, as Nigerians decry receiving little value for the increased cost of recharged airtime. Lawmakers want the operators to explain the causes of dropped calls, slow internet connections, failed airtime and data transactions, and poor network coverage in several Nigerian communities.

Lawmakers Reject Collective Representation

The request by the MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Mafab CEOs to be represented by Adebayo was outright rejected, a move that angered lawmakers. The ad hoc committee maintained that each operator must account for its own performance, measures and regulatory obligations.

Moving a motion on the issue, Sunday Umeha noted that the operators obtained individual licenses issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the industry's regulator, and could not rely on their membership of an industry association to avoid appearing before the committee. The lawmaker also questioned a letter from ALTON that challenged the committee's authority to compel telecom operators to give an account on the pressing matter.

Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Umeha said the House has the power to investigate matters within its legislative competence, including the implementation of government policies. The committee has now adjourned its sitting to November 4, when the CEOs are expected to appear.

Daily Disruptions and Financial Losses

For Nigerian telecom subscribers, a poor network is more than a drop in quality of experience — it causes daily disruptions and financial losses. Network outages bring failed digital payment and Point of Sale (PoS) transactions, delayed bank transfers, and stalled e-commerce operations that disrupt trade and daily earnings.

The impact is particularly sharp for remote workers and online professionals, who face dropped video calls, missed interviews, and sudden disconnections that can lead to the loss of international employment. Network blackspots on highways and in rural areas also prevent travellers and residents from contacting emergency services or security agencies during dangerous situations. It is these kinds of everyday failures that have now placed the operators directly before lawmakers.

More Than 214,000 Complaints in Six Months

Industry data shows the weight of recent consumer complaints against poor network quality. In the second and third quarters of 2026, covering April to September, MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2mobile received over 214,000 complaints about poor network quality. The complaints range from quality-of-experience issues with dropped calls on voice services to poor internet connections on data.

A further breakdown shows that 120,951 complaints were made between April and June 2026, while 96,282 complaints were received by MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2mobile (9mobile) between July and September 2026. The figures underline the scale of the dissatisfaction now at the centre of the House probe.

When the CEOs appear before the House of Representatives on November 4, they are expected to highlight ongoing measures to improve the situation. Attention will focus on whether the executives appear as directed and on the remedial steps they present for the dropped calls, slow connections and failed transactions at the heart of the investigation.