By Ameh Gabriel
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is refocusing its regulatory priorities moving beyond network availability to ensure a tangible quality of experience for telecom consumers across the country.
This strategic pivot was highlighted during the Titans of Tech Conference and Expo held in Lagos, where the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, reiterated the Commission’s renewed commitment to addressing critical consumer concerns. Represented by Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Maida emphasized that the Commission is committed to tackling the pain points that most frustrate Nigerians in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.
“Our focus today is on ensuring that consumers enjoy not just quality of service, but quality of experience the tangible result you and I feel when we use a telecom service,” Mrs. Bruce-Bennett stated.
Historically, NCC’s oversight focused on ensuring that mobile network operators met technical service benchmarks. However, the Commission’s approach now includes all customer touchpoints onboarding, data performance, transparent pricing, customer care, and seamless offboarding.
A comprehensive review of consumer complaints from 2024 revealed three key frustrations: poor service quality, unexplained rapid data depletion, and failed recharges or incomplete top-ups. In response, the NCC has launched a multipronged intervention strategy targeting these critical areas.
Tackling Data Depletion Concerns
Despite independent audits of telecom billing systems revealing no systemic irregularities in 2024, unexplained data exhaustion remains one of the most frequent consumer complaints. The NCC attributes much of this to the data-heavy demands of modern apps, especially those using high-resolution content on 4G and 5G networks, alongside the complexity of current tariff structures.
To tackle this, the Commission, in partnership with major network operators, launched a nationwide data awareness campaign in June 2024. The campaign rolled out via emails, SMS, and radio jinglesmaims to educate consumers on smart data usage, helping them understand how apps, auto-updates, and background processes affect their data consumption.
In addition, the NCC has directed operators to simplify and publicize their tariff plans. Operators are now required to publish clear, user-friendly information about data pricing to empower consumers to make informed choices.
Resolving Failed Top-ups
Regarding the persistent issue of failed airtime or data recharges, the Commission is working closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to establish a more robust transactional framework. This initiative aims to ensure consumers receive full value for every recharge, regardless of platform or payment channel.
Proactive Disclosure and Transparency
Beyond targeted technical interventions, the NCC is adopting a broader transparency-first regulatory approach, backed by data-driven insights and real-time public engagement.
The Commission now leverages crowd-sourced Quality of Service (QoS) data, gathered directly from millions of users across Nigeria. This data covering network speed, latency, coverage, and user satisfaction is set to be publicly available, allowing consumers to compare service providers based on real-time performance rather than promotional claims.
In a move to further enhance public accountability, the NCC has directed all licensees to notify customers promptly of major service disruptions through SMS, social media, and customer platforms. Additionally, the NCC Incident Reporting Portal, now live on the Commission’s website, provides real-time updates on nationwide service outages, detailing the cause, resolution timelines, and parties responsible.
“Telecom consumers deserve not only access to services but the confidence that those services will be reliable, transparent, and fair,” Dr. Maida emphasized. “Our ultimate goal is a telecom environment where consumers are empowered, informed, and well-served.”
This renewed consumer-centric strategy marks a bold step forward as the NCC steers Nigeria’s telecoms sector into a future driven by trust, transparency, and technology that works for everyone.
