The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has ordered Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to compensate subscribers whose network quality of service experience is below specified targets within specific locations.
The Head, Public Affairs Department, NCC, Nnenna Ukoha, expressed the order in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Ukoha said that the commission’s position was that subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery.
According to her, under this directive, erring operators will compensate affected users directly for breaches of Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
“Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) shall be required to pay these compensations for instances of poor quality of service recorded within specified time frames.
“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 directive is rooted in the commission’s broader regulatory philosophy that places the consumer at the centre of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem,” she said.
Ukoha said that telecommunications services today underpinned 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,” she said.
Ukoha said while regulatory fines had traditionally served as a deterrent against poor service delivery, the commission was adopting a more consumer-focused approach that strengthened accountability within the industry.
She said that the commission had designed this measure to complement existing and ongoing efforts to strengthen service quality monitoring and enforce performance standards.
Further to this directive by the commission to MNOs on compensation to consumers, she said that the NCC was also mandating tower companies who own the critical infrastructure for Quality of Service delivery.
Ukoha said that the commission would 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 will deploy regulatory tools that promote fairness, transparency, and accountability across the sector.
“This is to ensure that every subscriber receives the quality of service they deserve while sustaining a telecommunications industry capable of powering Nigeria’s digital future, ” she said.
