The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has noted recent public concerns
regarding the quality of telecommunications services in parts of the country.
The Commission recognises the frustration experienced by consumers when calls drop,
internet speeds slow down, data services become unstable, or service disruptions affect
daily activities. Telecommunications services are now central to how Nigerians work, learn,
do business, access essential services, and stay connected. Consumers are therefore entitled
to reliable service and must receive value for the services they pay for.
Over the past two years, improving Quality of Service has been a central regulatory priority
for the Commission. The NCC has intensified monitoring of Mobile Network Operators,
Internet Service Providers and Tower Companies, strengthened data-driven oversight, and
deepened engagement with relevant public institutions to address structural barriers that
affect service delivery. These measures are intended to ensure that the industry moves
towards measurable improvements.
The sector is currently undergoing one of its most extensive network expansion and
modernisation cycles in recent years, following a prolonged period of under-investment.
In 2025 alone, Mobile Network Operators invested over N2.13 trillion in network
infrastructure and upgrades, while Tower Companies invested an additional N373.8 billion
across the sector. These investments supported the addition and upgrade of over 2,800
telecommunications sites nationwide, addressing coverage and capacity gaps in several
locations.
The interventions include the addition of faster 4G and 5G layers on existing sites,
expansion of fibre backhaul to improve site capacity and resilience, targeted deployments
in high-demand urban locations, rollout into underserved communities, and general
network equipment refresh. These investments are welcome, but the Commission’s
expectation is that they must translate into visible and measurable service improvements
for consumers.
This expansion drive is continuing in 2026 in response to Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital
ecosystem and the exponential growth in data consumption. The NCC has secured industry
commitments for the addition and upgrade of over 12,000 sites within the year, of which
close to 3,000 have already been delivered. The deployment of next-generation
infrastructure is also accelerating, with more than 730 additional 5G sites already deployed
across 27 states so far in 2026.
In addition, and in line with its Spectrum Trading Guidelines, the Commission has
facilitated the reallocation of a majority of idle and underutilised valuable radio spectrum
among the three major Mobile Network Operators, while also rearranging spectrum blocks
to provide contiguity for operators. These interventions are designed to improve spectral
efficiency, network capacity, and service performance.
The Commission’s Quality of Service and Quality of Experience assessments, conducted
using crowdsourced and field-based analytics, show gradual improvements in network
capacity, coverage, and average data download speeds across several parts of the country.
As subscribers continue to migrate to faster 4G networks, with 4G penetration rising from
45% in January 2024 to 54% currently, national median download speeds have increased
from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period. Power availability at telecom towers
has also improved from a national average of 99.3% in January 2025 to 99.7% currently.
These improvements are most evident in areas where recent upgrades and new site
deployments have been completed. However, the Commission is equally clear that the pace
and consistency of improvement must increase, particularly in locations where consumers
continue to experience poor call quality, slow data speeds, congestion, and service
instability.
In alignment with government policy to deepen fibre penetration to homes, businesses,
schools, and public institutions, the Commission is also at an advanced stage of conducting
a market study aimed at creating a wholesale market segment. This will enable smaller and
more localised Internet Service Providers to expand service penetration and deliver internet
services at lower cost. This complements government-backed initiatives such as Project
BRIDGE and other efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s national digital infrastructure.
The Commission is also addressing persistent external risks that continue to affect network
performance, including frequent fibre cuts, vandalism of telecommunications
infrastructure, theft at network sites, power-related disruptions, and denial of access for
maintenance and operations.
In 2025 alone, over 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents, primarily linked to road
construction and vandalism, were recorded nationwide. Each incident has a direct impact
on network performance, service availability, and consumer experience. The Commission
is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders
to operationalise the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure.
Through this collaboration, organised syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom
equipment have been disrupted, while engagement with Federal and State Ministries of
Works is putting in place a governance mechanism to reduce avoidable fibre cuts arising
from road construction.
To improve transparency, the Commission has mandated operators to provide timely
notifications to consumers whenever there is a major service outage and to restore affected
services within defined timeframes. Details of major incidents are also logged on the
Commission’s Major Network Outages Reporting Portal at the time of incident:
https://uptime.com/statuspage/ncc.
The NCC continues to hold all key players in the Quality of Service value chain
accountable. Under the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024, which were gazetted
in July 2024, Mobile Network Operators and Tower Companies were allowed a defined
transition period to order, ship, and install required equipment nationwide to enhance
service quality. That transition period was not open-ended.
The Commission commenced enforcement from November 2025, including consumer
compensation measures for poor service quality and additional investment obligations on
Tower Companies where performance failures were identified.
This enforcement will continue, and where operators fail to deliver measurable
improvements, the Commission will take appropriate regulatory action, including
escalation where necessary.
The NCC commends the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,
the National Assembly, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and other critical
stakeholders for their continued support of the Commission’s regulatory mandate. At the
same time, the Commission reiterates that addressing the underlying challenges affecting
Quality of Service requires a whole-of-society approach.
We therefore call on all stakeholders—across federal, state, and local governments, as well
as host communities—to support efforts aimed at protecting telecommunications
infrastructure, facilitating timely access for maintenance, and creating an enabling
environment for sustained investment in the sector.
The NCC remains firmly committed to ensuring that all Nigerians enjoy reliable,
affordable, and high-quality telecommunications services. 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.