The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to sanction telecommunications operators that fail to meet service quality standards, warning that it will not tolerate persistent poor service delivery to subscribers.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr Aminu Maida, gave the assurance at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos, with the theme, “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy.”

Maida said the commission would intensify enforcement of regulatory standards to ensure that operators delivered reliable connectivity, transparent billing and effective channels for resolving consumer complaints.

He said telecommunications subscribers deserved better services, adding that the commission would measure its performance by the impact of its regulatory interventions on consumers.

“For a trader waiting to confirm a customer’s payment, a network failure can mean a lost sale, while a student trying to submit an assignment can miss a deadline because of a slow connection.

“These everyday experiences should guide our conversation today, because people want their phones to work, their charges to make sense and someone to take responsibility when things go wrong,” he said.

The NCC boss disclosed that operators had carried out more than 6,500 network improvement interventions in 2026, including capacity expansions, equipment upgrades and deployment of newer technologies to improve voice and data services.

He urged subscribers to use the commission’s public coverage maps and performance-monitoring tools to compare network performance in their areas and make informed choices about service providers.

“Our public coverage maps on the NCC website provide an independent comparison of networks using crowdsourced performance data from people’s everyday experience,” he said.

Maida also raised concerns over the persistent vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, including fibre cuts, equipment theft and damage to network facilities, which he said continued to disrupt services and affect consumers and businesses.

He stressed the need to protect telecommunications infrastructure to sustain service availability nationwide.

The EVC further disclosed that about 75 million subscribers had benefited from airtime compensation under the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026.

He said the commission would continue to enforce compliance with its regulations and sanction operators where necessary.

“We will continue to hold operators accountable for the quality of service they provide,” he said.

Earlier, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Rimini Makama, said the consumer parliament was aimed at strengthening discussions on service reliability, billing transparency and effective complaint resolution.

She called for greater collaboration among regulators, operators, consumer groups and other stakeholders to improve service delivery and build confidence in the telecommunications sector.

Makama said subscribers should be able to understand their data usage and charges, avoid unexpected deductions and receive timely assistance when they lodge complaints. (The Sun)