Nigerian Telecom Subscribers Decry Poor Network Quality Months After 50% Tariff Hike
Months after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50% tariff hike for telecom operators, millions of mobile subscribers across the country are voicing their frustration over worsening service quality. The increase, introduced in January 2025, was supposed to help network providers—MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile—invest in stronger infrastructure and faster data services. However, users say they’ve seen little improvement, complaining of frequent call drops, sluggish internet speeds, and network blackouts that disrupt daily life.
Across Lagos and other major cities, subscribers continue to vent online and in public forums about unreliable connectivity. “There’s no network in my living room or kitchen—only sometimes in my bedroom,” lamented Tolu, a Lagos resident. Another user, John, said he had to switch between three different SIM cards just to complete a bank transfer. For Pelumi Ajayi, who purchased a 5G router, the experience has been worse: “It only works at night, and I get barely 1Mbps on what’s supposed to be 5G,” she said. These accounts mirror the sentiments of thousands of Nigerians who believe they’re paying more for less.
Telecom companies argue that recurring fibre-optic cable cuts, theft, and vandalism are the main reasons behind the poor service. An executive from one of the leading operators, who spoke anonymously, said, “It’s not in our interest to provide poor service. When the network is bad, we lose money too.” Industry data shows that in 2024 alone, operators lost over ₦5 billion in Lagos State due to over 2,500 fibre cuts. Hotspots such as Ikeja, Lekki, and Victoria Island have been the worst hit, often due to road construction and private development projects damaging underground cables.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has expressed serious concern over the frequency of infrastructure damage nationwide. According to Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida, telecom operators now record an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every week, alongside 545 access denial cases and 99 incidents of theft. “These are not just numbers—they represent a national emergency,” Maida warned. He stressed that each disruption contributes to dropped calls, failed financial transactions, and interruptions in emergency communications, threatening both the economy and public safety.
Although President Bola Tinubu’s administration designated telecom infrastructure as critical national information infrastructure in 2024, enforcement remains weak. The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Communications set up a joint committee in early 2025 to protect fibre cables during construction projects, but the impact has been minimal. As vandalism and fibre damage persist daily, telecom subscribers say they are losing faith in both the operators and the regulators meant to protect their interests. For now, Nigerians are paying more for a service many say is at its lowest quality in years.
source: Nairametrics