The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has assured Nigerians that persistent network disruptions affecting telecom users across the country should not continue beyond this year.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Tony Emoekpere said operators and regulators are already implementing measures to tackle recurring service failures.
He said telecom operators had made commitments to regulators and that several improvement projects were already underway.
According to Emoekpere, discussions are ongoing among stakeholders across the sector, including mobile network operators, infrastructure providers and service providers, to improve network quality.
He said: “There have been positive things already being done, projects have already been put in place, and commitments have already been made to regulators by the Mobile Network Operator. Most in general, I don’t think these issues should surpass this year.”
The assurance comes after growing complaints from subscribers over poor call quality, unstable internet service, rapid data depletion and increased tariffs.
The Federal Government of Nigeria recently increased pressure on telecom companies to improve service delivery, warning that subscribers deserve better connectivity and value for money.
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said reforms had already been introduced to stabilise the telecom sector, while operators were expected to resolve ongoing service failures.
Emoekpere also addressed concerns over data subscription renewals, saying unused data is not lost once users renew their plans.
He explained that existing data balances are rolled over and added to newly purchased subscriptions.
He added that the Nigerian Communications Commission has a dedicated consumer protection arm that handles complaints from subscribers and works with operators to resolve issues.
Emoekpere said no telecom company intentionally delivers poor service, stressing that operators are equally affected by the sector’s challenges.
