The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that its directive requiring telecom operators to compensate subscribers for poor service quality will take effect this month.
The Commission disclosed this in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document released on Tuesday, providing additional details on the compensation directive and the categories of subscribers eligible to benefit.
According to the regulator, the directive applies specifically to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that fail to meet their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on Quality of Service.
However, the Commission did not specify which of the country’s major operators—MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile—have fallen short of the required standards.
The NCC noted that the compensation applies to service failures affecting voice calls, data services, and SMS.
It also clarified that a separate compensation framework is already in place for Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
To qualify for compensation, subscribers must meet certain conditions set out by the regulator.
“You may be qualified if you experienced poor network service in an affected Local Government Area and made at least one outgoing revenue-generating event such as a billed call, SMS, or data session during the relevant period,” the Commission stated.
The regulator added that the framework covers both individual and corporate customers.
Subscribers will not be required to apply for compensation. Instead, the NCC said telecom operators are mandated to automatically identify affected users and credit them directly.
“Operators are required and mandated to identify affected subscribers and provide compensation directly,” the Commission explained.
It added that only service failures that fall below the thresholds defined in the Quality of Service Regulations issued by the NCC will qualify for compensation.
Short or quickly resolved interruptions may not meet the criteria for compensation.
The new directive marks a significant shift in the regulatory approach of the Nigerian Communications Commission toward addressing persistent service quality issues.
Previously, the Commission primarily imposed financial penalties on operators that failed to meet service quality standards. Under the new approach, subscribers who experience poor service will directly benefit from compensation rather than penalties being paid solely to regulators.
Despite the directive, telecom operators continue to face several operational challenges affecting network performance.
One of the major issues is frequent fibre cuts, which disrupt connectivity across the country.
According to the NCC, operators recorded an average of about 1,100 fibre cuts every week last year, highlighting the scale of infrastructure challenges affecting telecom service delivery in Nigeria.
Industry analysts say the compensation framework could encourage operators to improve network reliability while also protecting consumers from prolonged service disruptions.
