The Senate has launched an investigation into allegations of arbitrary airtime deductions by telecommunications companies for failed, dropped and prematurely terminated calls, directing its Committee on Communications to determine the extent of financial losses suffered by subscribers within four weeks.
The resolution followed a motion on consumer protection in the telecommunications sector sponsored by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, and presented on the floor of the chamber by the Deputy Senate Leader.
Lawmakers expressed concern over persistent complaints from telecom users who claim they are billed for calls that fail to connect, end abruptly or are disrupted by poor network service.
Supporting the motion, Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) described the issue as a widespread problem affecting millions of Nigerians and stressed the need for stronger consumer protection measures.
According to him, subscribers across the country regularly experience technical network failures that result in avoidable financial losses, making legislative intervention necessary.
During deliberations, the Senate adopted a consolidated resolution after an amendment by the Deputy Minority Leader, who argued that a single prayer adequately addressed the concerns raised in the motion.
Announcing the resolution, Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Committee on Communications to invite the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and major telecom operators to investigate complaints involving failed calls, dropped calls, unterminated calls and questionable billing practices.
The committee is expected to establish the financial impact on subscribers and submit recommendations for possible legislative and regulatory action within four weeks.
The investigation will cover the billing systems and service practices of operators, including MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel and T2 Mobile. It will also examine the effectiveness of existing consumer complaint mechanisms, the possibility of automatic refunds for verified failed calls, and compliance with quality-of-service regulations.
Akpabio urged the committee, chaired by Senator Bill Bills, to commence work immediately, warning that the Senate could escalate the matter if a satisfactory report is not produced within the stipulated timeframe.
He noted that growing complaints from telecom consumers could no longer be ignored, particularly as subscribers continue to lose money for services that were either poorly delivered or not rendered at all.
“The public is complaining, and our responsibility is to address those concerns and the avoidable losses suffered by Nigerians,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President also raised concerns about possible gaps in regulatory oversight, stressing the need for greater accountability from both telecom operators and regulatory authorities.
The probe is expected to determine whether the deductions result from technical failures, billing system deficiencies or regulatory lapses. Its findings could lead to new consumer protection measures, stricter enforcement of service standards, enhanced monitoring of telecom operators and possible compensation for affected subscribers.
The investigation represents one of the most significant parliamentary efforts in recent years to address longstanding complaints about network reliability, billing transparency and consumer rights within Nigeria's telecommunications