NCC orders Telcos to compensate Nigerians for network failures

By: Amarachi Okonkwo

Telecommunications operators in Nigeria will now be required to compensate subscribers with airtime credits for service disruptions, following a new consumer protection framework introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The directive marks a significant shift in regulatory enforcement, as the commission moves to hold operators more accountable for poor quality of service while placing consumers at the centre of the telecommunications ecosystem.

Under the new framework, compensation will be issued automatically to affected subscribers in areas experiencing network outages or service degradation.

The NCC said the airtime credits will be calculated based on users’ average spending patterns and their presence within specific local government areas impacted by network failures.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the NCC’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, emphasised that subscribers should no longer bear the consequences of service lapses.

“Subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery,” she said.

The commission noted that telecommunications services have become essential to economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities, making service reliability a critical national concern.

“Telecommunications services today underpin economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities. When service quality is poor, the consequences affect productivity, commercial activities, and even public confidence in our communications system,” the regulator stated.

Beyond compensation, the NCC is also tightening oversight of infrastructure providers. Tower companies responsible for critical assets such as telecom masts have been directed to reinvest fines imposed on them into measurable infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving network performance and resilience.

The new policy forms part of a broader regulatory push to strengthen service delivery standards, enhance transparency, and ensure that operators consistently invest in capacity expansion and network reliability to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for telecommunications services.