The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to compensate subscribers who experience poor network service that falls below established Quality of Service (QoS) standards in specific locations.
The Commission emphasized that users should not bear the full impact of service failures caused by operators. As a result, telecom providers will be required to offer direct compensation—typically in the form of airtime credits—based on customers’ usage patterns and the duration of service disruptions within affected areas.
With over 182 million active subscribers out of more than 320 million connected lines, the directive is expected to benefit a significant portion of Nigeria’s telecom users who have long faced inconsistent service quality.
According to NCC, this policy reflects its consumer-focused regulatory approach, recognizing the critical role telecommunications play in economic activities, communication, and digital access. Poor service delivery, it noted, can negatively affect productivity, businesses, and public trust.
In addition, the Commission has mandated tower companies—responsible for telecom infrastructure such as masts—to reinvest fines imposed on them into improving infrastructure, ensuring better and more measurable service quality outcomes across the network.
