The House of Representatives has threatened to issue warrants of arrest for chief executives of telecommunications companies if they fail to honour its summons over persistent poor network services across the country.
Chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the quality of telecommunications services, Hon. Olumide Osoba issued the warning after lawmakers rejected an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to represent the affected companies through its chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo.
Osoba directed that the chief executives and other top management officials of the affected telecommunications operators to appear before it on November 4, 2026, warning that failure to honour the invitation could attract warrants of arrest.
Recall that the committee had, on October 21, invited MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other licensed operators to explain persistent complaints about dropped calls, slow internet connectivity, failed transactions and inadequate network coverage.
But the operators, instead, delegated Adebayo to represent them at the hearing, a move that angered the lawmakers, who insisted that each company must personally account for its service delivery and address complaints relating to its operations.
In a motion at the meeting, Hon. Sunday Umeha argued that the telecommunications companies were individually licensed by the federal government and could not rely on their membership of an industry association to avoid appearing before the legislature.
Umeha also faulted a letter reportedly written by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the operators to attend the hearing, describing the position as inconsistent with the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly.
“I was shocked with what I saw in the letter. I saw a situation where ALTON is saying that they are not bound to appear before this committee. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” he said.
Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Umeha maintained that the National Assembly had the authority to investigate matters within its legislative competence, including the implementation of government policies affecting telecommunications services.
He argued that the committee was not bound by ALTON’s internal arrangements and that the operators should appear individually unless the committee expressly accepted an authorised representative.
The position was reinforced when a representative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) confirmed that the commission had communicated the invitations to the chief executives individually.
The confirmation further angered lawmakers, who maintained that the operators had received sufficient notice and had been given adequate opportunities to honour the invitation.
Umeha recalled that the committee had considered a motion to summon the executives for arrest at its previous sitting but agreed to give them another opportunity to appear.
He said the operators had again failed to honour the invitation despite additional communication facilitated through the NCC.
While supporting the motion, the House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi faulted ALTON’s attempt to speak on behalf of the operators, arguing that telecommunications subscribers deal directly with individual service providers and expect each company to be accountable for its network performance.
Rotimi expressed concern over poor network coverage in parts of his constituency in Ekiti state, warning that the absence of mobile signals in some communities and along major routes could have serious security implications.
He alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency had been killed in an ambush along a stretch of road where mobile network signals were unavailable for approximately 20 minutes.
The lawmaker said such connectivity gaps could leave residents and travellers unable to contact security agencies or seek emergency assistance when confronted with danger.
He further criticised telecommunications operators for concentrating infrastructure in commercially attractive locations while leaving some rural communities and underserved areas with inadequate coverage.
The committee also questioned Adebayo over a reported ₦8.46 billion fine imposed on Globacom, asking whether the ALTON chairman could adequately address regulatory and operational issues concerning an individual company while appearing in a representative capacity.
Following deliberations, Osoba put Umeha’s motion to a voice vote, and the ayes prevailed.
The committee subsequently adjourned its sitting until November 4, 2026, when the operators are expected to appear.
