• Regulator requires operators to compensate subscribers for service failures
• Compensation to be issued as airtime credits based on usage
• Move follows mounting complaints and tighter regulatory enforcement

Nigeria’s telecom regulator has ordered operators to compensate subscribers when service quality falls below required standards in certain parts of the country.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced the measure on March 29 as part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement and improve network performance.

NCC directs Telecom Operators to Compensate Subscribers for Poor Network Service. pic.twitter.com/lKIsFht60m

— ncc.gov.ng (@NgComCommission) March 29, 2026

Under the policy, compensation will be issued in the form of airtime credits. The amount will be determined based on users’ consumption patterns and their presence in areas where service disruptions are recorded.

Nnenna Ukoha, head of public affairs at the NCC, said telecom services now play a central role in economic activity, social interactions, and access to digital opportunities. Poor service quality, she noted, can undermine productivity, disrupt business operations, and erode public trust in communication systems.

The move follows repeated complaints from Nigerian consumers, often voiced on social media, about dropped calls, prolonged outages, and slow mobile internet speeds. In response, authorities have stepped up regulatory pressure on operators.

In January, Communications and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani instructed the regulator to take stronger action. Shortly afterward, local media reported that the NCC was preparing penalties totaling 12.4 billion naira (about $8.95 million) for breaches of service quality standards. Such fines have traditionally served as a deterrent against poor performance.

The NCC also introduced updated service quality regulations in 2024, setting out around 50 performance indicators that operators must meet. Each violation carries a penalty of 5 million naira, with an additional fine of 500,000 naira per day for ongoing non-compliance. Failure to provide required information within set deadlines can result in a 15 million naira fine, plus a daily penalty of 2 million naira until compliance is achieved.

Isaac K. Kassouwi