The House of Representatives has threatened arrest warrants for MTN, Airtel and Glo CEOs who failed to attend a hearing on poor network services.

The House of Representatives has threatened to seek arrest warrants against the chief executive officers of major telecommunications companies in Nigeria after they failed to honour a summons to explain persistent poor network services.

The House ad hoc committee investigating the quality of telecommunications services gave the executives until November 4, 2026, to appear in person before it.

The affected operators include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), Mafab Communications Limited and other service providers. The committee had summoned them to appear on October 28.

At Wednesday’s sitting, lawmakers rejected an attempt by Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), to represent the companies.

Committee chairman Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) directed the chief executives to attend the next hearing in person, warning that failure to comply could lead to arrest warrants. The panel also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure the operators honour the summons.

Lawmakers challenge operators’ position

Sunday Umeha (APC, Enugu), a member of the committee, argued that the operators could not rely on their membership of an industry association to avoid appearing before the lawmakers.

He said the companies were individually licensed by the Federal Government and should account directly for their services.

Umeha also criticised a letter reportedly sent by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the operators to attend the hearing.

“They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,” he said.

The lawmaker cited Section 88 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to investigate matters within its legislative remit. The committee is examining persistent complaints about network quality and the impact of service failures on subscribers.

The hearing is expected to give operators an opportunity to explain the causes of recurring service problems and outline measures to improve connectivity.

Lawmaker links network blackouts to security risks

The House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, raised concerns about inadequate network coverage in parts of Ekiti State, including communities and major roads where mobile signals are unavailable.

Rotimi alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency were killed in an ambush along a road without mobile network coverage.

He warned that such gaps could prevent residents and commuters from contacting security agencies or requesting emergency assistance during dangerous situations.

The concerns add a public-safety dimension to the committee’s investigation, as reliable telecommunications services are important for emergency calls, security alerts and access to essential services.

NCC says 75 million subscribers received compensation

The investigation comes amid continuing complaints about poor connectivity, dropped calls, slow internet speeds and failed airtime and data transactions.

On October 20, the NCC said 75 million subscribers had received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026. The commission also reported more than 6,500 network interventions during the year, including technology upgrades and additional network capacity.

Under the regulator’s consumer compensation framework, eligible subscribers in affected local government areas receive airtime credits when an operator fails to meet prescribed quality-of-service standards. The credits can be used for calls, data, SMS and other eligible services on the operator’s network. Compensation is automatic for qualifying subscribers and does not replace possible regulatory penalties for serious or repeated breaches.

However, the scale of compensation does not by itself establish that network performance has improved. The committee’s investigation is expected to examine the continuing service problems and the steps operators are taking to address them.

The telecom executives are due to appear before the House committee on November 4.