Nigeria’s House of Representatives has reprimanded the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over exploitative network pricing, particularly how the high cost of data and call tariff plans does not match the quality of services being rendered to Nigerians.
Ahmadu Jaha, a representative of Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno State, underscored how Nigerians experience frequent unstable connections and network disruptions despite buying expensive network plans that do not equate the quality of service delivered.
“The House notes that the high cost of data and call tariffs does not match the quality of service delivered. Nigerians often pay significant amounts for data bundles that are quickly exhausted due to unstable connections and network interruptions”, he said.
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Jaha further highlighted inefficiency of customer care service units as an attendant problem that Nigerian subscribers grapple with, as they do not get prompt response to complaints made concerning cases of unstable connections or network interruptions.
“Many subscribers find it difficult to get timely response to complaints, and issues are often left unresolved for long periods, thereby affecting emergency communications in dire situations like fire outbreaks, medical situations, and the needed responses”, he remarked.
He also cited dysfunctional infrastructural facilities as another factor responsible for the poor network conditions plaguing Nigerians. During certain periods of the day when subscribers are most active, network congestion tends to arise, thereby causing network connection to become slow and unresponsive.
“Network congestion during peak hours and in densely populated areas shows that infrastructural development has not kept pace with the growing number of users. I strongly believe that telecom companies need to take urgent steps to improve their services,” he commented.
In response to this, the House recommended that telecommunication firms should invest in the development of modern infrastructure and extend their coverage across different locations, particularly within rural areas. Lawmakers also called for the adoption of fair network rates with standard service quality and the improvement of customer care services.
The House finally decided to establish an ad-hoc committee to investigate the issues responsible for the poor network conditions adversely affecting Nigerian subscribers in the country in order to determine regulatory measures that can be taken to resolve those problems.
