More expensive, less reliable: Nigerians decry telecom industry failures

Joy Agwunobi

In recent weeks, telecom subscribers across Nigeria have been voicing their frustrations over what they describe as a worsening experience with mobile services. From unexpected data depletion to poor network coverage and unexplained deductions, customers are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the state of telecommunications in the country.

With mobile data and voice services now essential for work, business, and daily communication, expectations were high following the 50 per cent tariff increase implemented in February. Many had anticipated an improvement in network quality and a better user experience. However, complaints have only intensified, with subscribers alleging that their data depletes at an alarming rate, often before they can fully utilise their purchased plans and in some cases, they do not even receive the full volume of data they paid for.  Additionally, network coverage in certain areas remains poor, while voice call quality has worsened, leaving customers questioning the justification for the price hike.

The four major telecom operators—MTN, Airtel, 9mobile, and Glo—are now facing increasing backlash as subscribers feel shortchanged. The tariff adjustment, which was introduced to offset rising operational costs and inflation, was expected to help sustain the industry without compromising service quality.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), telecom tariffs had remained unchanged since 2013 despite escalating costs. The commission defended the increase, stating that it was necessary to help operators sustain their businesses while ensuring continued service delivery.

In a circular issued in January, the NCC explained: “Tariff rates have remained static since 2013, despite the increasing costs of operation faced by telecom operators. The approved adjustment is aimed at addressing the significant gap between operational costs and current tariffs while ensuring that the delivery of services to consumers is not compromised.”

The commission further stated that operators were expected to use the increased tariffs to expand network infrastructure, improve service quality, and enhance coverage. However, subscribers argue that none of these objectives have been met. Instead, network congestion, slow internet speeds, and inconsistent service quality persist.

Speaking with Chibundu Onuigbo, an MTN user, she expressed frustration over the rapid exhaustion of data bundles despite the recent increase in tariffs. According to her, the cost of internet access in Nigeria has become unsustainable for many citizens.

“I bought an 11-gigabyte data plan on the 11th of this month, and within just three days, it was gone! I don’t understand what is happening in this country,” she lamented. “Even with the tariff hike, I still can’t explain why my data finishes so quickly. They increase the price and reduce the data volume at the same time. People in other countries, like London, can buy a data plan for a month, and it lasts them the entire period. But here in Nigeria, we buy monthly data plans, and it  barely lasts a week. Why is this happening?”

Onuigbo also urged  the regulatory bodies to take action against what she described as exploitative practices by telecom operators. Stating “The regulators need to step in and address this issue, the network providers are  exploiting us. The internet and social media are the only things that bring us joy in this country, and now they are making it harder for us to even stay connected. Imagine spending between ₦15,000 and ₦20,000 on data, only for it to disappear within four to five days. If this continues, how are we supposed to survive?”

Similarly, Ubong Nathaniel, a Lagos-based glazier, shared his frustrations, emphasising that the increase in tariffs has not translated into better service quality. He recounted his experience during a recent trip to Imo State, where he was unable to access network services on his 9mobile line.

“I thought the tariff hike was supposed to improve service quality, but that’s not the case. When I traveled for work in the East, specifically in Imo State, I had no network on my 9mobile line throughout my stay in that community. If not for my Glo SIM, I wouldn’t have been able to monitor my business in Lagos or even communicate with my customers. It was a terrible experience,” he said.

Nathaniel further alleged deceptive practices by telecom operators, accusing them of quietly reducing allocated data volumes without informing subscribers.

“I recently bought a 3.5GB data bundle through my bank app, but when I checked my balance immediately, it showed only 2.5GB. At first, I thought it was an error, but when I purchased the same bundle again, I got the same result. This means they are secretly cutting down on the data they give us. We are being scammed,” he said.

Oluwatobiloba Olaleye, an Airtel customer who works with an HSC firm, also stated similar complaints. “Before the tariff increase, I could manage my 5GB data for about five days, but now, it finishes in two days or less, even when my usage has not changed. And sometimes  when I check my balance, after buying data it never matches the amount I saw before subscribing for that particular volume.”

For many users, the problem extends beyond just data depletion. Call quality and network coverage have also remained poor. Chinenye Felix, a subscriber in Port Harcourt, lamented: “Before, I could at least manage the slow internet and unreliable network. But now, not only do I struggle with poor service, but I also pay more for it. You would think that if they are charging us more, we would get a better experience, but instead, it feels like they are taking advantage of us.”

Lekan Adewunmi, a phone dealer, expressed frustration over frequent call drops and the rapid exhaustion of airtime. “Previously, 200 naira airtime could last me for a 20-minute call. Now, it finishes within nine or ten minutes, sometimes even less. These days, I prefer to call on WhatsApp because it’s cheap.”

Social media outrage

The frustration among subscribers is also evident on social media, where customers continue to call out service providers for poor service delivery and deceptive practices. A look into some of the service providers’ official social media pages reflects the growing discontent among customers.

On Glo’s official X (formerly Twitter) account @Gloworld, a customer, @Jeffrey Shom, lamented, ” @Gloworld. Please you people should send me my remaining data because how will I recharge 10GB and you gave me only 3.3GB?”

Another subscriber, @ABADI35011433, accused Glo of fraudulent practices, stating, “@Gloworld, what’s happening to my data? I’ll buy data, and I won’t even be able to use it. Besides, why is it that the price and amount of data you show isn’t what you give us? @Gloworld, I think you guys are fraudulent, and it’s an offense.”

Airtel users also expressed similar grievances. A subscriber, @Mastamindar, wrote, “@AirtelNigeria, after charging 30,000 naira for 20 Megabits per second, this is what I’m getting. Can’t even do anything with the data. You guys can’t be charging so much for a very poor & shabby network.”

Another user, @Raymond87, tweeted, “What is wrong with your network? I’ve turned my phone on and off multiple times, yet there’s no signal.”

MTN subscribers also joined the chorus of complaints. @Richy_west3 noted, “@MTNNG, the rate at which you people deduct DATA Is now becoming so alarming. Without doing anything, you just removed like 200mb out of 340 something mb now telling me it remains 93 mb.  this is not normal.”

Similarly, @Anderline Igwe urged MTN to improve its service quality, stating, “@MTNNG, kindly improve your network quality. Despite the high cost of data, the internet speed remains poor and unreliable. This is frustrating, and customers deserve better service.”

Even 9mobile customers expressed their displeasure. @HamzatRahmon1 tweeted, “Dear @9mobileng, This is the third week your network has gone into exile, and you’re not bothered? Do you know what you’ve caused? Some of us actually use this number to register for banks and need OTPs for transactions.”

As dissatisfaction grows, subscribers are calling on the NCC and relevant authorities to hold telecom operators accountable. Many argue that if prices must increase, service quality should improve correspondingly.