Technology
75 Million Subscribers Receive Airtime Compensation in 2026 — NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to enforce stricter accountability for telecom operators over poor service quality, insisting that effective regulation must be reflected in the everyday experiences of consumers.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stated this at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament held in Lagos.
The forum, themed “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” brought together regulators, operators, consumer groups and other stakeholders to review service reliability, billing transparency and complaint resolution.
Maida said the Commission’s mandate goes beyond setting standards to ensuring that consumers enjoy reliable connectivity, transparent billing and prompt redress when services fail.
He said a trader waiting to confirm payment or a student trying to submit an assignment should not suffer losses due to network failure, adding that consumers simply want their phones to work, charges to be clear and someone to take responsibility when things go wrong.
He disclosed that telecom operators had carried out over 6,500 network improvement interventions in 2026, covering capacity expansion, equipment upgrades and the deployment of newer technologies to improve voice and data quality.
Maida also urged subscribers to use the NCC’s public coverage maps and performance monitoring tools on its website, which provide independent, crowdsourced data to help consumers compare network performance in the areas where they live and work.
He decried the continued vandalism of telecom infrastructure, saying fibre cuts, equipment theft and wilful damage remain major causes of service disruption nationwide and must be curbed to sustain service availability.
According to him, the Commission’s consumer-centred approach is already yielding results, with about 75 million subscribers benefiting from airtime compensation under the Consumer Compensation Framework this year.
“We will continue to hold operators accountable for the quality of service they provide and sanction breaches where necessary,” Maida said.
In her welcome remarks, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the Parliament was designed to deepen dialogue on how to deliver dependable services and build consumer confidence.
She outlined three expectations of consumers: dependable service when they pay, clear billing without surprise deductions or confusing Value-Added Service charges, and a responsive complaint system where every voice is heard.
Makama called for stronger collaboration among all players in the telecommunications ecosystem to ensure that the sector consistently delivers value to Nigerians, including vulnerable consumers who face barriers to accessing services.