Nigeria’s network quality to improve by Q3 — Tijani

Nigeria’s mobile network quality is expected to improve by the third quarter of 2025, Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has disclosed.

According to the minister, network quality has deteriorated after years of underinvestment in the sector. However, this is set to change after mobile network operators committed $1 billion to network investments in 2025.

Tijani said, “We have evidence that our telcos have placed orders of equipment worth over $1 billion. That hasn’t been done in a long time in this country.

“We are tracking these orders because we know the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), and we know they will start to come into the country between June and July.”

This is expected to address persistent issues such as dropped calls and sluggish internet speeds and accelerate the expansion of 4G and 5G networks. “We expect that by Q3, Nigerians will start to experience better, significant quality of service,” he noted during an interview with TVC.

Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, had previously revealed that telecom operators had placed orders exceeding $1 billion to support network upgrades.

Touching on rural coverage, Tijani stated, “While the incoming equipment will support private sector-led upgrades, we must go beyond where private capital stops. Government intervention remains crucial in regions where commercial viability is low.

Rural connectivity isn’t just about giving people access; it is about strengthening our economy.

He highlighted that if the government doesn’t invest in rural areas, telcos are unlikely to go there due to commercial reasons.