The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a strong warning to telecom operators across the country, demanding immediate improvement in service quality or risk facing regulatory sanctions. The move comes amid growing frustration from subscribers who have complained of poor and unreliable network services, especially since the start of the festive season.
To back up its warning, the NCC released a detailed, data-driven report developed in partnership with Ookla, a global network performance intelligence company. The report clearly shows how each telecom operator is performing, highlighting gaps in network stability, speed, latency, and jitter. According to the regulator, the data leaves no room for excuses and proves that some operators are lagging behind.
The report reveals that MTN currently has the strongest national network performance, delivering consistent download and upload speeds with stable latency. Airtel, while maintaining strong 4G download speeds in urban areas, recorded some performance dips, particularly in latency, as it transitions towards 5G. Glo, however, was flagged for serious latency and jitter issues, which negatively affect real-time services such as video calls and online transactions. Meanwhile, 9mobile showed uneven performance across regions, with a noticeable gap in overall quality of service nationwide.
NCC officials say the partnership with Ookla marks a shift towards data-driven regulation, ensuring transparency and fairness in how operators are assessed. The quarterly reports are also meant to help consumers make informed decisions based on real performance data, not advertising claims.
A senior NCC official, speaking anonymously, said the commission is no longer taking excuses from telecom operators. According to him, the regulator is fully prepared to enforce standards, using evidence-based policies to push investment in infrastructure and guarantee reliable connectivity for Nigerians. He stressed that the era of poor service without consequences is coming to an end.
