NCC assures telecoms consumers of efforts at addressing connectivity issues, QoE

*The Nigerian Communications Commission emphasises the strategic importance of telecoms services to how consumers work, learn, do business, access essential services, and stay connected in the digital environment

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In line with its commitment to consumer protection in the telecoms space, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it acknowledged recent public concerns regarding the Quality of Services (QoS) in several parts of the West African country.

The NCC said it recognised the frustration which consumers experience when calls drop, Internet speeds slow down, data services become unstable, or service disruptions affect daily activities.

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Emphasising the strategic importance of telecommunications services are now central to how Nigerians work, learn, do business, access essential services, and stay connected in the digital environment.

The telecoms sector regulatory Commission also affirmed that Nigerian consumers, therefore, are entitled to reliable digital services, and must receive value for the services they pay for.

It recalled that over the past two years, improving Quality of Service has been a central regulatory priority for the Commission.

Highlights of recent regulatory interventions

Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs at NCC, who noted this Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in a statement, said the NCC had intensified monitoring of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Tower Companies, strengthened data-driven oversight, and deepened engagement with relevant public institutions to address structural barriers that affect service delivery.

The NCC stated these measures are intended to ensure that the industry moves towards measurable improvements.

The Commission further noted the telecoms sector is currently undergoing one of its most extensive network expansion and modernisation cycles in recent years, following a prolonged period of under-investment.

The statement as well recalled that 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, said Mrs. Ukoha.

The Commission explained 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.

The industry regulator said such investments are welcome, but its expectation is that they must translate into visible and measurable service improvements for telecoms consumers.

It said this expansion drive is continuing in 2026 in response to Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem and the exponential growth in data consumption in recent times.

On upgrade of over 12,000 sites across Nigeria

The NCC restated that it 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.

Besides, the Commission disclosed the deployment of next-generation infrastructure is also accelerating, with over 730 additional 5G sites already deployed across 27 states so far in 2026.

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.

The NCC Head of Public Affairs affirmed these interventions are designed “to improve spectral efficiency, network capacity, and service performance.”

Insight into NCC’s Quality of Service and QoE assessments in telecoms

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% January 2024 to 54% currently, national median download speeds have increased from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period.

Power availability at telecoms towers has also improved from a national average of 99.3% in January 2025 to 99.7% currently.

According to NCC, these improvements are most evident in areas where recent upgrades and new site deployments have been completed.

It, however, stated that the regulator 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.

The Commission said in alignment with government policy to deepen fibre penetration to homes, businesses, schools, and public institutions, it is also at an advanced stage of conducting a market study aimed at creating a wholesale market segment.

This, the NCC stated, will enable smaller and more localised Internet Service Providers to expand service penetration and deliver Internet services at lower cost.

The statement noted: “This complements government-backed initiatives, such as Project BRIDGE and other efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s national digital infrastructure.”

Protection of critical telecoms 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.

It stated that in 2025 alone, over 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents, primarily linked to road construction and vandalism, were recorded nationwide.

Unfortunately, each incident has a direct impact on network performance, service availability, and consumer experience, stated the industry regulator.

“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,” said Ukoha.

She explained 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.

Enforcement of consumer compensation measures for poor service quality

In a move to improve transparency, the Commission said it had 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 Head of Public Affairs stated: “The NCC continues to hold all key players in the Quality of Service value chain accountable.”

The Commission said 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 telecoms sector regulatory Commission revealed it 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, the Commission noted, will continue, and where operators fail to deliver measurable improvements, the Commission will take appropriate regulatory action, including escalation where necessary, “ it said.

The statement noted the NCC commended the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), the National Assembly (NASS), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and other critical stakeholders for their continued support of the Commission’s regulatory mandate.

Likewise, the Commission reiterated that addressing the underlying challenges affecting Quality of Service requires a whole-of-society approach in Nigeria.

The NCC urged Nigerians: “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.”

Ukoha added: “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.

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