Service disruptions: NCC seeks airtime compensation for subscribers, says they shouldn’t bear full burden

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators (MNOs) to compensate subscribers for poor quality of service (QoS) in areas where performance falls below regulatory standards.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Nnenna Ukoha, head of public affairs at the NCC, said the directive is aimed at ensuring that consumers do not bear the full burden of service disruptions caused by operators’ failure to meet prescribed benchmarks.

“The commission’s position is that subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery,” she said.

The spokesperson said affected subscribers will receive compensation in the form of airtime credits, calculated based on their average spending patterns and their presence in locations where service failures occur.

“Erring operators will compensate affected users directly for breaches of quality of service key performance indicators within specified time frames,” Ukoha said.

According to the regulator, the move reflects a shift towards a more consumer-focused regulatory approach.

“While regulatory fines have traditionally served as a deterrent against poor service delivery, the commission is adopting a more consumer-focused approach that strengthens accountability within the industry,” Ukoha added.

The spokesperson said tower companies would be required to reinvest fines and other financial penalties into infrastructure upgrades to improve network quality.

The NCC said it will continue to reinforce the obligation of operators to invest consistently in network resilience, capacity expansion, and infrastructure upgrades.