The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators to compensate subscribers who suffer poor network services that fall below approved Quality of Service (QoS) standards, in a significant regulatory move aimed at strengthening consumer protection in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
In a statement issued by the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnena Ukoha, the regulator said affected subscribers will receive compensation primarily in the form of airtime credits. The credits, according to the NCC, will be calculated based on users’ average spending patterns and their presence in specific Local Government Areas where service disruptions are recorded.
The Commission stressed that the directive is rooted in its commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring accountability among service providers. Ukoha stated that “consumers should not bear the burden of service failures when operators fall short of required performance benchmarks,” reinforcing the regulator’s stance on service delivery obligations.
The NCC noted that telecommunications services have become critical infrastructure underpinning economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities. It warned that persistent poor network quality not only inconveniences users but also disrupts productivity and commercial operations across the country.
In a further push to address systemic challenges, the Commission extended its directive to infrastructure providers, mandating tower companies to reinvest fines imposed on them into critical upgrades. These include the expansion and reinforcement of network infrastructure such as telecom masts, with clear expectations of measurable improvements in service delivery.
The regulator also underscored the need for sustained investment across the telecom ecosystem, highlighting network resilience, capacity expansion, and infrastructure development as key pillars for delivering reliable services. It maintained that strengthening these areas is essential to supporting Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
