NCC compensates 75m telecom subscribers over poor network quality

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has compensated 75 million telecommunications subscribers for poor network quality in 2026, while nearly three million customers have received refunds for failed airtime and data transactions.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos, amid persistent complaints about dropped calls, slow internet connections and failed transactions.

Maida also revealed that the commission had conducted more than 6,500 network interventions this year to improve service delivery, including equipment upgrades and capacity expansion in areas experiencing rising demand.

Speaking on the theme, “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” he said the NCC would continue to hold operators accountable and ensure subscribers received appropriate compensation for poor services.

He, however, acknowledged that financial compensation could not fully address the consequences of network failures.

“Compensation matters, but it cannot recover a lost business opportunity or an important conversation that could not take place, so our priority remains reducing the failures that make it necessary,” he said.

On failed airtime and data purchases, Maida said the NCC had collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, telecommunications operators and financial service providers to establish a framework for resolving complaints and processing refunds.

The initiative is designed to prevent customers from being passed between banks and telecommunications companies without resolution, while ensuring prompt refunds for unsuccessful transactions.

He added that the commission was monitoring network performance and requiring operators to address identified deficiencies, explain major outages and provide information on the restoration of affected services.

To help subscribers make informed choices, the NCC has published network coverage maps on its website, using crowdsourced data to provide information about coverage and service performance across different locations.

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He identified vandalism and damage to telecommunications infrastructure as major obstacles to improving network quality, citing fibre-optic cable cuts during road construction and the theft of equipment, batteries and fuel from telecommunications sites.

According to him, such incidents can disrupt services across several communities, affecting businesses and individuals beyond the immediate locations of the damage.

The commission, he said, was working with relevant authorities and operators to strengthen infrastructure protection and improve coordination during road construction.

On complaints about rapid data depletion, Maida said the NCC was developing a usage notification guideline to provide clearer information on daily consumption, remaining balances and itemised data usage.

The proposed measures would also enable subscribers to challenge discrepancies, while requiring operators to investigate disputed data consumption and explain their findings.

He further disclosed that the commission was expanding the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to address risks associated with recycled phone numbers and numbers flagged for fraudulent activities.

The initiative is expected to help organisations across telecommunications and other sectors identify recycled numbers and reduce the risk of unauthorised access to financial accounts and other services.

He advised buyers to verify their devices by dialling *315# and following the prompts, while consumers seeking assistance can call 315.

The NCC chief urged subscribers experiencing service problems to complain to their operators first and obtain reference numbers. Where complaints remain unresolved, consumers can contact the commission through its toll-free line, 622.

He also highlighted the NCC’s Consumer Data Lab, developed with Innovations for Poverty Action and supported by the Gates Foundation, to identify recurring complaints and assess the effectiveness of regulatory interventions.

Maida called on consumer groups to continue raising subscribers’ concerns, urging telecommunications operators to provide clear answers, honour commitments and improve complaint resolution.

He assured participants that the commission would follow up on issues raised at the forum.