Nigerian lawmakers give telecom CEOs till November 4 to appear in person or face arrest over bad network services.
The lawmakers at the House of Representatives in Abuja have given the chief executive officers of major telecommunications companies, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, and Globacom, a strict new deadline of November 4, 2026, to appear before them in person.
The stern warning comes after the company bosses failed to show up for a previous meeting called by the parliament to discuss the heavy public complaints about bad network signals, dropped phone calls, slow internet speed, and failed banking transactions across the country.
The angry lawmakers rejected an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to send a representative on behalf of the company bosses.
The committee made it very clear that each telecommunications company received an individual operating license from the government and must therefore answer for its own performance and service failures by sending its own managing director or chief executive.
Speaking during the heated legislative session, lawmakers expressed deep frustration that telecommunications companies seemed to take the parliament’s invitations lightly.
A member of the House, Sunday Umeha, openly criticized a letter sent by the industry association which questioned whether the committee had the legal right to summon the network bosses.
Addressing his colleagues during the hearing, Sunday Umeha stated:
“I was shocked with what I saw in the letter. I saw a situation where ALTON is saying that they are not bound to appear before this committee. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation.”
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Quoting the supreme law of the land to back up the parliament’s authority, Umeha reminded the room:
“Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the House has the power to investigate matters within its legislative competence, including the implementation of government policies.”
The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating telecommunications service quality, led by chairman Olumide Osoba, maintained that the suffering of ordinary mobile phone users must be addressed immediately.
Citizens across towns and villages have repeatedly complained that they pay a lot of money for phone calls and internet data, but still suffer from constant network failures that disrupt daily business and communication.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that phone users lodged hundreds of thousands of formal complaints over service failures, prompting the parliament to step in to protect consumers.
The committee warned that if the company bosses fail to show up personally on November 4, the House will use its constitutional powers to issue official arrest warrants to bring them before the parliament.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
