NCC orders telecom operators to notify subscribers of major network outages

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to promptly notify subscribers of major network outages and compensate affected customers where service disruptions last longer than 24 hours.

The directive is contained in the Commission’s “Directive on Reportage of Major Network Outages by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs),” which seeks to improve transparency, enhance consumer experience and ensure faster resolution of network failures across the country.

Under the new framework, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other last-mile service providers are required to inform consumers through appropriate media channels whenever major service outages occur.

The notification must clearly state the cause of the disruption, the geographical areas affected, and the estimated time required to restore services.

The Commission also directed operators to give subscribers at least one week’s notice before carrying out planned service interruptions.

In addition, telecom operators are required to provide proportional compensation, including extensions of service validity where applicable, if a major network outage persists for more than 24 hours, in line with the provisions of the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.

According to the NCC, the directive applies to major outages arising from events such as fibre optic cable cuts caused by construction activities, access challenges, theft, vandalism and force majeure incidents affecting at least five per cent of an operator’s subscriber base or five or more local government areas.

The regulations also cover unplanned outages resulting in the complete isolation of network resources across at least 100 sites or five per cent of an operator’s total network sites—whichever is lower—or an entire network cluster lasting for 30 minutes or longer.

Additionally, any outage capable of significantly degrading network quality in the Commission’s top 10 states by traffic volume will be classified as a major outage requiring public disclosure.

To strengthen accountability, the NCC has directed operators to report all major outages through its newly established Major Outage Reporting Portal, which is publicly accessible via the Commission’s website.

The portal will also identify the party responsible for the disruption where such information is available, a move the Commission says is intended to improve transparency and discourage acts of sabotage.

Commenting on the initiative, the Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, Engr. Edoyemi Ogor, said the Commission had tested the reporting process and portal with operators for several months before issuing the directive.

According to him, the initiative will provide consumers and industry stakeholders with timely information on network disruptions while promoting greater accountability among operators and other parties responsible for damage to telecommunications infrastructure.

He added that the framework would also help ensure that individuals or organisations responsible for fibre cuts and other forms of infrastructure sabotage are identified and held accountable.

Ogor said the directive aligns with the Federal Government’s broader commitment to protecting telecommunications assets following the Executive Order signed by President Bola Tinubu, which designated telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

He noted that safeguarding telecommunications infrastructure has become increasingly important because of its role in national security, economic growth and the delivery of essential digital services.

Industry analysts say the directive represents a significant step towards improving transparency and consumer protection in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, as subscribers will now receive timely information on service disruptions while operators face greater accountability for prolonged outages.