By Blessing Elo Oghene
The Senate has summoned the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and major telecommunications operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2, over persistent dropped calls, failed connections and unexplained airtime deductions affecting subscribers.
The operators and the NCC are expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Communications, chaired by Senator Aliyu Ikra Bilbis (Zamfara Central), to explain the recurring complaints and address concerns over poor service delivery.
The committee was mandated to investigate complaints of airtime deductions for failed calls, dropped calls, prematurely terminated conversations and inflated charges.
It is also expected to determine the financial losses suffered by subscribers and submit its report to the Senate within four weeks, alongside recommendations for further legislative and regulatory action.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion titled, “Need to Curb Unjustified Deductions from Subscribers’ Airtime Resulting from Substandard Telecommunications Services Through Robust Consumer Protection,” sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North).
Seconding the motion, Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North) described the proposal as a straightforward consumer-protection intervention, noting that the problem affects virtually every Nigerian who depends on telecommunications services.
He lamented the contrast between the quality of telephone services in Nigeria and the seamless connectivity experienced in other countries.
Presenting the motion on behalf of Monguno, Deputy Majority Leader Senator Lola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South) raised concerns over subscribers being charged for calls that were never successfully completed. He said the situation required accountability, refunds and improved quality of service across the telecommunications industry.
According to the Senate, making telephone calls has increasingly become an expensive gamble for millions of Nigerians, as poor network connectivity, dropped calls, interrupted conversations and failed connections remain recurring complaints.
Lawmakers noted that subscribers frequently lose airtime even when calls are not successfully completed.
They warned that Nigerians should not be made to pay for telecommunications services that have not been effectively delivered.
The senators also observed that subscribers are often forced to redial numbers several times before establishing connections, resulting in additional airtime deductions and financial losses, particularly for low-income earners, traders, students and small business owners.
They argued that although occasional network challenges may be unavoidable, consumers should not bear the financial consequences of service failures beyond their control.
Following deliberations, the lawmakers adopted the sixth prayer of the motion, which consolidated the proposed interventions contained in the earlier five prayers.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the investigation must go beyond routine engagements, insisting that the NCC, the supervising minister and telecommunications operators must provide explanations for the persistent complaints.
Akpabio warned that if the explanations and proposed interventions failed to address the concerns, the Senate could escalate the matter to a Committee of the Whole for further legislative action.
Earlier, while presenting the motion, Ashiru outlined the Senate’s concerns, noting that telecommunications services had become indispensable to individuals, businesses and public institutions, with millions of Nigerians spending substantial amounts on airtime daily.
He observed that subscribers frequently experience failed call connections, abrupt disconnections, inaudible conversations and network interruptions, often resulting in airtime deductions without effective communication.
The motion further noted that repeated attempts to establish successful calls impose additional costs on subscribers because of network deficiencies beyond their control.
It also stressed that the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, empowers the NCC to regulate the telecommunications industry, protect consumers and enforce acceptable service-delivery standards.
The Senate maintained that effective consumer protection requires transparent billing, operator accountability and automatic refunds or appropriate compensation for unjustified airtime deductions.
For the lawmakers, the issue goes beyond poor network reception to fundamental concerns about consumer rights, corporate accountability and protecting Nigerians from paying for services they never received.
