The Senate has directed an investigation into the financial losses Nigerians suffer from failed telephone calls, dropped connections and unexplained airtime deductions, asking telecommunications regulators and operators to account for charges imposed on subscribers for services not effectively delivered.
The directive requires the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and major telecommunications operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2, to appear before the Senate Committee on Communications to explain persistent service failures and the deductions arising from them.
The committee, chaired by Senator Aliyu Ikra Bilbis, has four weeks to investigate the complaints, determine the financial losses incurred by subscribers and submit recommendations for legislative and regulatory action.
The Senate’s intervention followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), titled, “Need to Curb Unjustified Deductions from Subscribers’ Airtime Resulting from Substandard Telecommunications Services Through Robust Consumer Protection.”
Presenting the motion on Monguno’s behalf, Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South), drew attention to the financial burden on subscribers who are charged for calls that fail to connect or terminate prematurely.
The lawmakers argued that consumers should not be made to pay for services that telecommunications providers have failed to deliver, particularly where network problems are beyond subscribers’ control.
Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), who seconded the motion, described the proposed intervention as a straightforward consumer-protection measure, noting that the problem affects virtually every Nigerian who depends on telephone services.
He questioned the disparity between the quality of telecommunications services in Nigeria and the seamless connectivity available in some other countries.
The Senate observed that subscribers frequently have to redial numbers several times before establishing connections, with each attempt potentially resulting in additional airtime deductions.
It noted that the burden is particularly significant for low-income earners, traders, students and small business owners, who depend on telephone communication for their daily activities and commercial transactions.
According to the lawmakers, poor network connectivity, interrupted conversations and failed connections have become recurring complaints among millions of subscribers, raising concerns about the fairness of existing billing practices.
While acknowledging that network challenges may sometimes be unavoidable, the Senate maintained that subscribers should not bear the financial consequences of service failures they neither caused nor control.
The investigation is expected to establish the extent of the deductions, identify the financial implications for consumers and examine the responsibility of telecommunications operators and the regulator in addressing the problem.
The resolution was reached on Wednesday after deliberations on the motion, with lawmakers adopting its sixth prayer, which consolidated the proposed interventions contained in the earlier five prayers.
The outcome of the committee’s investigation is expected to guide further legislative and regulatory measures aimed at protecting subscribers, improving service quality and ensuring accountability in the telecommunications industry.
