The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Friday, said extensive upgrades of telecom infrastructure and tower sites across the country by operators is responsible for measurable improvements in service quality and surge in data consumption.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Wada Maida, said data consumption has risen by more than 170 per cent.
He revealed that one operator alone has expressed commitment to invest about $1 billion in network upgrades, in addition to industry-wide investments exceeding $1 billion in the previous year.
According to him, over 3,000 tower sites and related infrastructure were upgraded last year, while the Commission has set a target of 12,000 site upgrades in 2026. Of this figure, about 2,800 had been completed as of April.
He however, said it will engage independent auditors to verify compliance by telecom providers with its new compensation guidelines for poor service.
According to him, the move was to ensure operators comply with the Commission’s recent directive mandating compensation for consumers over unsatisfactory data and voice services.
“We will be engaging independent auditors to verify what was done by the providers so they comply with the rules and guidelines,” he said.
He disclosed that consumer complaints on quality of service have dropped sharply since the tariff adjustment in 2025, falling from 351,000 to 75,000. He urged subscribers to use the NCC’s toll-free lines 300 or 622 to lodge complaints, and to visit the Commission’s website for FAQs on service issues.
“Our policy directive is on transparency, which we gave out to the providers,” he said.
Maida said NCC’s collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is yielding results, with reduced incidents of fiber cuts at construction sites nationwide.
“At the moment, with our collaboration with the ONSA, we are beginning to see reduced fiber cuts across construction sites,” he noted.
Addressing concerns over harmful content on social media, the EVC said the NCC is working with other sector agencies to tackle the issue appropriately.
Earlier, Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, said the forum was a continuation of stakeholder engagement to entrench sustainability and resilience across the telecoms sector, describing it as an opportunity to “network, exchange ideas and nurture the media as a very important stakeholder.”