The problem has gotten so bad last year that the CPC had ban telecoms from adding customers until they bring their existing infrastructure back to par. When that didn't work, the council began levying heavy fines against underperforming telecoms; again, with little success. Now, they're once again stepping up the pressure. "In order to enforce consumer rights and ensure compliance with CPC's enabling law, CPC has adopted a strategy of criminal prosecution of recalcitrant businesses or litigations to achieve satisfactory redress," said Dupe Atoki, CPC director general in a statement.

This decision follows similar actions taken by Tanzania and Zimbabwe to reign in their own telecoms and likely won't be the last. "Nigeria's decision to start slapping operators with criminal charges will closely be followed by many other countries in Africa because not only is Nigeria Africa's largest telecom market but also the region's largest economy," Edith Mwale, telecom analyst at Africa Center for ICT Development said in a statement. Maybe then Nigerians will start receiving the service that they're already paying for.