NCC directs telcoms to compensate subscribers over poor network service

The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed Mobile Network Operators to compensate subscribers in areas where network quality drops below approved standards.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, explained that affected users will receive airtime credits.

The compensation, she said, will be calculated based on subscribers’ average spending and their presence in local government areas experiencing service disruptions.

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

“The compensation will be provided in the form of airtime credits, calculated based on subscribers’ average spending patterns and their presence within local government areas where service failures occur,” the commission said.

The NCC explained that the move is part of its broader consumer-focused regulatory philosophy, aimed at placing subscribers at the centre of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem.

“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 statement read.

The regulator also directed Tower Companies, which owns critical infrastructure such as masts, to reinvest fines levied against them into measurable infrastructure improvements to strengthen network performance.

“The commission will continue to reinforce the obligation of operators to invest consistently in network resilience, capacity expansion, and infrastructure upgrades to meet the growing demand for telecommunications services,” it said.

The NCC added that it will continue deploying regulatory tools to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability, ensuring subscribers receive the quality of service they deserve.

“Further to this directive, the commission is also mandating Tower Companies to invest in infrastructure with measurable outcomes using sums that it has fined these companies, in addition to other financial fines the commission will deem appropriate,” the statement concluded.

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