House summons telecom chiefs over poor network service

The House of Representatives has ordered chief executives of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other telecom operators to appear at a hearing on October 28 to answer questions about network service quality. The ad hoc committee investigating telecommunications services set the appearance for 2 p.m. at the National Assembly complex in Abuja. It also directed operators to submit relevant documents before the hearing and asked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure compliance. The committee said MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications had failed to honour earlier invitations. Committee members also criticised operators for sending junior officials or offering excuses instead of having their chief executives attend. The House warned that executives who fail to appear could face an arrest summons to compel their attendance. The inquiry will examine recurring complaints including dropped calls, unstable internet connections, slow data speeds and patchy coverage. Committee chairman Olumide Osoba said reliable telecommunications are important to businesses, financial transactions and daily communication. Lawmakers said they want operators to...