The House of Representatives has decided to probe private Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for alleged extortion of consumers.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Thursday by Hon. Leke Abejide.
The Green Chamber, therefore called on also urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to initiate a policy of ‘Pay-As-You-Go’ to all ISPs in order to minimise high level of exploitations by ISPs for services not rendered.
The House further called on NCC and relevant agencies to develop a consumer protection framework that includes provisions for automatic compensation or refunds for prolonged service outages or significant deviations from advertised service levels.
It said the inefficiency of ISPs and their exploitative practices have far-reaching consequences on Nigerian society, hindering progress and negatively impacting business and economic activities.
The House noted that by addressing the inefficiencies of ISPs and promoting accountability, government could create a fair and inclusive digital landscape that empowers individuals, strengthens the economy, and fosters social
Presenting the motion, the lawmaker said numerous Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have managed to evade accountability for their widespread inefficiency, feeble and inferior service delivery, while consumers are compelled to persistently pay for inadequate services due to the apparent absence of regulations governing their pricing and service provision, thereby enabling them to exploit Nigerians.
The lawmaker added that frequent service outages, slow speeds, and inconsistent connectivity are widespread issues faced daily by consumers, as in this digital age, efficient Internet connection is a necessity, not a luxury.
He expressed concern that consumers sometimes experience service outages for more than an aggregate of two weeks in a single month from some ISPs, with no mechanism for refunding subscription fees, thus perpetuating a disregard for consumer rights and leading to exploitation.
Abejide noted Legend, an ISP operating in Abuja charges its subscribers a flat monthly prepaid rate despite knowing that its services are frequently interrupted.
He stated: “For example, this company offers various tariff rates, with the highest being approximately 483, 000 per month, yet it rarely delivers uninterrupted service for even half of the month.
“Concerned that Legend ISP deliberately provides reliable internet service only few days preceding monthly billing, deceiving customers into renewing subscriptions under the false impression of satisfactory performance, before immediately reverting to its persistently inadequate service levels presenting an unethical business model of exploitation of consumers that requires accountability to regulators.”
The lawmaker expressed worry that regulatory agencies have so far condoned the activities of inefficient ISPs to the detriment of consumers.
