NCC Blames Poor Telecom Service in Lagos and Abuja on Network Congestion, Pushes for Faster 5G Expansion
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has attributed the persistent poor quality of telecom services in Lagos, Abuja, and other major Nigerian cities to inadequate network capacity caused by high user density and limited infrastructure. According to the regulator, this congestion has resulted in frequent call drops, buffering during video streaming, and slow download speeds, frustrating millions of users in urban areas.
During the official launch of the Public-Facing Crowdsourcing Report and National Coverage Maps, developed in partnership with broadband intelligence firm Ookla, the NCC revealed that while Nigeria’s overall network performance remains “good,” capacity strain is widespread in cities. Ookla’s Technical Account Manager, Ali Benchekh, explained that “capacity strain has been observed across all operators in major urban areas,” urging a combination of aggressive 5G deployment and optimization of existing 4G (LTE) networks to address the growing demand for data services.
The report noted that rural areas experience fewer connectivity problems, suggesting that the challenge lies more with localized congestion rather than a national infrastructure failure. However, city dwellers continue to face slow internet speeds and failed mobile payments, especially during peak hours. Some subscribers even report that their 5G routers deliver speeds as low as 1 Mbps, a sharp contrast to expectations from next-generation mobile technology.
In addition to congestion, telecom operators are grappling with frequent fibre-optic cable cuts, averaging about 1,100 incidents weekly across the country. These disruptions significantly impact service quality and data speed. The NCC has therefore urged operators to step up infrastructure investments while the government continues efforts to secure critical national information systems. Last year, President Bola Tinubu signed a gazette classifying telecom infrastructure as “critical national information infrastructure,” making vandalism of such assets a criminal offense.
To further protect network assets, the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy have established a joint standing committee focused on safeguarding fibre-optic cables nationwide. With internet usage in Nigeria growing rapidly, the NCC and Ookla say data transparency through tools like the national coverage map will help both operators and consumers better understand network performance — and pave the way for faster, more reliable connectivity across the country.
source: Business day