• The NCC now requires telecom operators to publish details of major service outages.
• Operators must explain the cause, affected areas, and expected repair time.
• Extended outages must be compensated; repeated failures may face penalties.

Network outages are becoming more frequent in Nigeria, mostly due to power cuts and damage to telecom infrastructure. Recently, MTN’s network was down for almost two weeks in Kogi State.

To improve transparency and customer service, telecom operators in Nigeria are now required to publicly share information about major service outages. This new rule was issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on May 25.

Under the new directive, operators must use a dedicated platform to explain the reason for any major service interruption, name the affected areas, and estimate when service will return. For planned outages, customers must be notified at least one week in advance. If an outage lasts more than 24 hours, the operator must offer compensation—such as extending the validity of prepaid packages—depending on the situation.

“By providing consumers and stakeholders with transparent and timely information on network outages, we’re fostering a culture of accountability and transparency. This approach also allows us to penalize telecom infrastructure saboteurs,” said Edoyemi Ogor, Director of Network Technical Integrity at the NCC.

Agence Ecofin reviewed the new platform and found that Glo reported data service disruptions since the morning of May 20 in several towns in Adamawa and Taraba States due to a fiber optic cable cut. 9mobile also reported issues affecting voice, SMS, internet, and USSD services in parts of Borno State due to a power outage since May 23.

At the moment, MTN is the only major operator without significant service problems. In the past week, MTN reported six incidents, compared to four for Airtel, 29 for Glo, and 32 for 9mobile.

However, the initiative remains mostly reactive. It does not include a system to prevent repeated outages or force quick repairs. Its success depends on how willing telecom operators are to follow the rules, since there is no independent monitoring system. Also, the platform focuses on major outages and may miss smaller, ongoing problems—especially in rural areas. Its overall impact will also depend on whether consumers are aware of the platform and can access it.