The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a stern warning to telecom tower operators across Nigeria: Improve network quality by August 2025 or face regulatory sanctions.
This ultimatum came from NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, during a high-level industry meeting held in Abuja on Thursday. The meeting included major tower infrastructure providers such as IHS Towers, American Tower Corporation (ATC), and Pan-African Towers, as well as representatives from mobile network operators (MNOs) like MTN, Airtel, and Glo.
The focus of the session was Nigeria’s ongoing internet quality crisis, largely blamed on recurring power failures, equipment breakdowns, and poor site maintenance, all of which affect voice and data services nationwide.
“That’s more than enough time for all parties to align with the performance standards expected of them,” Maida said, referencing the NCC’s updated Quality of Service (QoS) regulations, which now hold tower companies (TowerCos) directly accountable for network performance, not just the MNOs.
Tower Companies Now in the Hot Seat
TowerCos play a critical role in Nigeria’s mobile connectivity ecosystem. They own and maintain the infrastructure, cell towers, base stations, and power systems, used by telecom operators to deliver calls and internet services.
Yet, increasing complaints from consumers about dropped calls, frozen data sessions, and poor network availability have shifted attention to the performance of these infrastructure providers.
“When there’s no power, radios shut down. Power fluctuations cause system restarts, leading to service disruptions,” said a stakeholder present at the meeting.
To improve accountability, the NCC has introduced a Major Incident Reporting Portal to log and publicly disclose service outages. Additionally, the Commission is developing real-time performance dashboards to boost transparency and empower consumers with access to service quality data.
No More Excuses, Says NCC
Tower providers have long blamed delayed payments from mobile operators for site maintenance lapses and insufficient investment in power backup systems. But the NCC says that excuse is no longer acceptable.
“Operators must fulfill both their technical and financial responsibilities,” Maida warned. “Poor service delivery—regardless of internal disputes—will not go unpunished.”
The Numbers Behind Nigeria’s Tower Infrastructure
- IHS Towers: Controls between 16,000 to 19,000 sites, accounting for about 62 per cent of co-located telecom infrastructure in Nigeria.
- American Tower Corporation (ATC): Operates approximately 8,270 towers nationwide.
- Pan-African Towers: Manages 760 to 1,000 tower sites, mostly within Nigeria.
With these firms powering Nigeria’s digital backbone, the NCC’s August deadline represents a major push toward improving internet service quality, reducing network outages, and ensuring better user experiences for millions of subscribers.
