Telecom
Shittu Frowns at Poor QoS, Urges Subscriber to Invoke ‘DnD’ Code
Nigerians have been urged to join hands with the Federal Ministry of Communications and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by being proactive in the fight against the much touted short comings, poor quality services, unsolicited SMS and unauthorized deductions by telecom service operators in the country, rather than name callings and transferred aggression being exhibited on the social media.
This advice was given in Abuja by Barrister Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, while reviewing the Ministry’s efforts at enhancing the quality of service by telecom service providers in the country.
In a press statement by Victor Oluwadamilare, the SA, the Minister frowned at the substitution of name calling for good argumentation on the need for all hands to be on deck to checkmate the unwholesome and obvious detestable conduct of operators in the area of poor quality service, unsolicited messages and outright extortion.
‘’The social media should be put to more productive use in such a way to project the country well in the comity of nations and proffer enduring solutions to tame the monstrosity of epileptic services by telecom operators”, he quipped.
The Minister said that Nigerians have the right to complain about unsavory services they experienced in recent times from telecoms operators, but assured them that the Ministry is not folding its hands or shying away from its responsibility of ensuring that normalcy prevails in the industry, adding that the Ministry always put regulatory agencies on their toes to do the needful.
Rather than casting aspersions on the Ministry and the NCC for improper monitoring or not penalizing telecom operators by infuriated Nigerians, he said people should understand the workings of government and in turn appreciate the efforts of the regulators in ensuring that consumers enjoyed value for their money.
For the records, as part of his commitment to ensure quality telecom service, the Minster on March 8, 2016 read a riot act at a meeting with top management staff of all telecom operators in the country.
Issues discussed among others include Extortion of nigerian subscribers by telecom operators, incessant dropped calls on all networks, poor quality of Service (QoS), dead or silent calls and call tariff plans. others are deficiency in data penetration, roll out of 4G/LTE network, under-declared revenue and profit by telecom operators, disengagement of nigerian tax paying employees by telecom operators through outsourcing to foreign companies and discrepancy and discrimination against nigerian employees by telecom operators.
“In as much as I’m not holding brief for the telecoms regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), I know as a matter of fact many positive steps the Ministry in conjunction with the NCC have taken in the last one year to stem the tide of most of the subscribers’ complaints”, adding that the innuendoes to the effect that the Ministry and the NCC have been compromised, indolent and not capable of rescuing the Nigerian masses is far from the truth.
“While it may be a sad truism that poor quality service, extortion and other malfeasances by operators might have led to misconceptions and somewhat destroyed family ties, it will be wrong to use the social media to disparage genuine efforts of the Ministry and the NCC to beat the offending operators to line.
‘’What we required is complementary support of the Nigerian people in achieving an enduring quality service that will be a pride of all and promote the nation’s economy”, Barr. Shittu added.
The NCC, he said, has made the consumer the focus of its regulatory activities which explains the proactive approach the current management of the Commission has towards issues that affect the consumer and on a large scale the entire industry.
The Minister added that the NCC has carried out a technical review following widespread complaints by consumers about deteriorating Quality of Service (QoS) experienced from November last year to February this year and that the Commission has on the strength of the findings summoned the major operators to a meeting at which it warned that provision of poor quality services is not acceptable, the consumer cannot be short-changed.
Speaking further, he said that rather than continuing to insinuate that there is corruption everywhere, from the Ministry to the telecom operators, subscribers should stop being complacent, they should equally be alive to their responsibilities as discernible consumers by being proactive and possibly sue erring operator where a prima facie case could be established.
For the avoidance of doubt, the regulatory agency, the NCC has come up with an idea among its numerous efforts, with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ code (2442) to be used by subscribers. Failure to adhere to lodged complaints, the subscribers are advised to call a toll free line 622 for complaints management by the NCC.
In the same vein, Barrister Shittu only about three weeks ago presented a catalogue of complaints by the Nigerian subscribers to the top management of MTN led by its Chairman who came on a courtesy call.
Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), official industry umbrella body and pressure group for major mobile network operators in the country, has faulted claims that foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the sector slumped significantly in quarter one (Q1).
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON
ALTON, said that with N2.13 trillion spent in 2025 on network upgrades and expansion that they would invest an additional N1.86 trillion on network expansion this year.
The body was reacting to the claim by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that FDIs into the sector slumped significantly in quarter one.
The telcos commended the Federal Government for its continued support of the industry, while calling for a more comprehensive framework to track and report investments coming into the sector.
The operators highlighted the importance of accurate data in shaping investor perceptions and guiding policy decisions.
The association noted that while the NBS recently released its Q1 Capital Importation Report, the figures presented do not fully capture the scale of capital deployment within Nigeria’s telecoms industry.
“This disparity between reported foreign capital inflows and actual infrastructure investment highlights a gap in how sectoral capital deployment is currently measured and reported,” the statement read.
ALTON, in the statement, signed by Gbenga Adebayo and Damian Udeh, chairman and publicity secretary, respectively, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for approving a strategic 50 per cent tariff increase in 2025, describing it as a pivotal intervention that rescued the industry from financial distress.
According to the association, the tariff adjustment restored operational viability, closed critical revenue gaps and enabled operators to reinvest in infrastructure and service quality.
The association emphasised that the policy intervention transformed the sector from a struggling model into a sustainable, growth-focused industry.
“The timely investment enabled operators to transition from financial distress to a sustainable, growth-focused model characterised by significant capital reinvestment,” ALTON stated.
The statement revealed that telecom operators, tower companies, and other players in the sector recorded a total capital expenditure of N2.13 trillion in 2025. For 2026, planned capital expenditure stands at N1.86 trillion, with funds directed towards network infrastructure expansion, technology upgrades, and operational investments critical to maintaining service quality and coverage.
These commitments, ALTON stressed, are fundamental to advancing Nigeria’s digital economy objectives and improving services for millions of subscribers nationwide.
While the NBS report indicated a sharp decline in foreign capital importation into the telecom sector, from $80.78 million in 2025 to just $7.24 million in Q1 2026, ALTON argued that this metric only reflected a portion of the actual investment activity.
The association explained that much of the sector’s capital deployment now comes from domestic sources, including reinvested operational earnings.
These financial mechanisms, ALTON noted, are not fully reflected in conventional foreign capital importation metrics, thereby painting an incomplete picture of the industry’s health.
To address this reporting gap, ALTON proposed a collaborative engagement among the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the NBS, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The goal, according to the association, is to develop a more inclusive and transparent investment-tracking framework that accurately reflects both foreign and domestic capital flows.
ALTON reassured the Nigerian public that telecom operators remain committed to continuous investment in network expansion, modernisation, resilience and service quality improvements.
The association pledged to work closely with regulators and government institutions to ensure that the sector’s contributions to national development are comprehensively documented and appropriately recognised.
With sustained collaboration and government support, ALTON said Nigerians can expect uninterrupted access to digital services that drive economic growth, innovation, financial inclusion, and overall national development.
Princess Emiko
The regulatory and digital infrastructure pillars of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem, led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Digital Realty, and IHS Nigeria, have rallied robust support for the upcoming 2026 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and its prestigious industry awards.
The annual high-level forum is scheduled to hold this Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the prestigious Banquet Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos, anchoring its deliberations on the crucial theme: “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multistakeholder Synergy in Nigeria.”
The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, is set to deliver the Keynote Address, highlighting the regulatory framework required to preserve the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) vision through inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Joining the regulatory commission in driving this momentum is IHS Nigeria, the nation’s premier digital infrastructure champion boasting a footprint of over 16,000 telecom towers and 15,000km of fiber optic cables across the country. Alongside data center colocation leader Digital Realty, these organizations are heavily backing the forum as part of their commitment to promoting critical national infrastructure and securing Nigeria’s digital possibilities.
Speaking ahead of the event in Lagos, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the Editor-in-Chief of host media organization ITREALMS Media Group, commended the immense institutional support flowing from the public and private sectors.
“Achieving sustainable internet governance and digital trust requires an intentional alignment of regulation and infrastructure,” Nweke remarked. “The active collaboration of the NCC, IHS Nigeria, and Digital Realty ensures that the 2026 forum will move beyond mere dialogue to produce clear, actionable policy recommendations for our digital economy.”
The event will be presided over by Dr. Olusola Teniola (hon), Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX Nigeria and former President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), who will deliver the Chairman’s Opening Speech on the 2026 NDSF blueprint.
Earlier, leading telecommunications, technology, and internet governance stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the 17th milestone edition of the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), including ICT infrastructure leader MTN Nigeria; the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); premier software and DNS infrastructure firm Upperlink Limited; and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), managers of the .NG country code Top Level Domain name.
Media & Event Contact: The Secretariat Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) / ITREALMS Media Group Banquet Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos Website: www.itrealms.com.ng
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