A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Usman Austin, has raised concerns over persistent poor network connectivity and unreliable mobile services across Nigeria, calling for stronger regulation and accountability within the telecommunications sector.
In a statement personally issued on Thursday, Austin said the daily frustrations experienced by millions of Nigerians reflect deep failures in service delivery by telecom operators and inadequate regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“The NCC is supposed to be the watchdog that guarantees reliable telecommunication across Nigeria,” Austin said. “They understand the importance of stable power and infrastructure in providing quality services, yet they have failed completely, despite Nigerians paying exorbitant fees for data and network subscriptions.”
He noted that dissatisfaction among subscribers continues to grow, stressing that the cost of telecom services does not match the quality delivered. According to him, pricing and value-for-money remain major concerns for consumers.
“Network providers charge any amount they like, but ordinary Nigerians get little to no value for their money,” he said, adding that subscribers frequently struggle to access consistent services even after paying for data and call plans.
Describing the situation from the consumer’s perspective, Austin said millions of Nigerians are paying for data plans they cannot effectively use due to poor network quality. He accused major operators such as MTN, Airtel, and 9mobile of operating without sufficient accountability.
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“While subscribers suffer, the regulator appears complacent, failing to hold service providers accountable,” he stated.
Austin urged the National Assembly to intervene by exercising its oversight responsibilities to address ongoing challenges in the telecommunications industry. He said urgent legislative action is needed to protect consumers and restore confidence in the sector.
“It is time for legislators to wake up and intervene. Nigerians deserve affordable and reliable communication services—they cannot continue to be shortchanged by both providers and regulators,” he said.
He concluded that persistent subscriber complaints point to broader structural problems, including infrastructure gaps and regulatory weaknesses, which must be addressed to improve service delivery and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s telecom sector.