By Our Correspondent
National News – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has ordered mobile network operators in Nigeria to compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or repeated poor network service.
The directive, announced on Tuesday and set to take effect in April 2026, requires telecom companies to automatically credit affected users with airtime when service quality falls below regulatory standards.
The regulator said the new framework targets frequent service failures affecting voice calls, SMS and data services across the country.
According to the NCC, subscribers who experience poor network performance in specific local government areas will receive automatic airtime compensation without filing complaints.
Under the directive, affected users must have experienced network disruption and made at least one outgoing billed activity—such as a phone call, SMS, or data session—during the outage period.
Both individual and corporate subscribers are eligible for the compensation.
The NCC explained that telecom operators must monitor network performance and identify customers impacted by outages through their Quality of Service indicators.
Once confirmed, operators will apply airtime credits directly to the affected lines and notify subscribers through SMS detailing the value and purpose of the compensation.
However, the framework excludes customers who changed network providers during or after the outage.
In cases where subscribers own multiple SIM cards, only the lines that recorded billed activities in affected locations will receive compensation.
The commission also revealed that Nigeria’s telecommunications industry recorded 577 network outages in the first quarter of 2026, with 361 incidents linked to fibre cuts.
Major operators, including MTN Nigeria, were among networks affected by infrastructure disruptions.
Despite the compensation policy, the NCC emphasised that only prolonged or repeated service failures that fall below regulatory thresholds will qualify.
Short disruptions or outages caused by extraordinary events such as vandalism, theft, natural disasters, or fibre damage may be reviewed before compensation is granted.
According to the commission, the compensation amount will depend on the subscriber’s billed usage during the disruption period and the operator’s network performance in the affected area.
The NCC stated that the directive complements existing consumer protection laws, including the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024.
The regulator added that telecom operators could still face regulatory fines if they repeatedly fail to maintain acceptable service standards.
The commission noted that the policy is designed to improve accountability in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and ensure subscribers receive fair value for services paid for.
