By Chioma Vivian James
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has acknowledged growing public concerns over the quality of telecommunications services across parts of the country, assuring Nigerians that industry-wide efforts to improve network performance are already yielding measurable results.
The Commission said it recognises the frustration experienced by consumers due to dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable data connections, and other service disruptions affecting daily activities, businesses, learning, and access to essential services.
According to the NCC, improving Quality of Service has remained one of its top regulatory priorities over the past two years. The Commission said it has intensified oversight of Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, and Tower Companies through stricter monitoring, data-driven assessments, and stronger collaboration with relevant institutions to address long-standing structural challenges affecting service delivery.
The NCC disclosed that the telecommunications sector is currently witnessing one of its largest network expansion and modernisation drives in recent years following a prolonged period of under-investment.
In 2025 alone, Mobile Network Operators invested over ₦2.13 trillion in network infrastructure and upgrades, while Tower Companies committed an additional ₦373.8 billion to the sector. The investments supported the addition and upgrade of more than 2,800 telecommunications sites nationwide to bridge coverage and capacity gaps.
The Commission said the interventions include deployment of faster 4G and 5G technologies, expansion of fibre backhaul infrastructure, targeted upgrades in high-demand urban centres, rollout into underserved communities, and general network equipment modernisation.
It added that the expansion drive has continued into 2026, with operators committing to add or upgrade more than 12,000 sites this year, nearly 3,000 of which have already been completed. Over 730 additional 5G sites have also been deployed across 27 states so far in 2026.
As part of efforts to improve network efficiency, the NCC said it has facilitated the reallocation and optimisation of underutilised radio spectrum among major operators in line with its Spectrum Trading Guidelines.
According to the Commission, recent Quality of Service and Quality of Experience assessments indicate gradual improvements in network capacity, coverage, and internet speeds in several parts of the country.
The NCC noted that as more subscribers migrate to 4G networks with penetration rising from 45 per cent in January 2024 to 54 per cent currently national median download speeds have increased from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps. Power availability at telecom tower sites also improved from a national average of 99.3 per cent in January 2025 to 99.7 per cent.
Despite the progress, the Commission stressed that improvement must become faster and more consistent, especially in areas still experiencing poor call quality, congestion, and unstable data services.
The NCC also revealed that it is finalising a market study aimed at creating a wholesale broadband market segment to support smaller Internet Service Providers and deepen fibre penetration across homes, businesses, schools, and public institutions.
The Commission identified vandalism, fibre cuts, power-related disruptions, and restricted access to telecom infrastructure as major external threats to service quality.
It disclosed that more than 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents were recorded nationwide in 2025 alone, largely linked to road construction activities and vandalism.
To tackle these challenges, the NCC said it is working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to enforce the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure and reduce infrastructure sabotage.
The Commission also directed operators to notify consumers promptly during major outages and restore services within specified timelines. It added that major incidents are now publicly logged through its Major Network Outages Reporting Portal.
The NCC further stated that enforcement of the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024 began in November 2025 after a transition period granted to operators for equipment upgrades expired.
According to the Commission, enforcement measures now include consumer compensation for poor service delivery and additional investment obligations for Tower Companies where failures are identified.
“The expectation is clear: the industry must now deliver measurable improvements, and the Commission will continue to enforce compliance in the interest of consumers and the wider economy,” the statement said.
