By Chioma favour
📍Abuja | Media Report
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that telecom operators will begin compensating subscribers for poor service quality starting this April.
The Commission disclosed this in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document released on Tuesday, providing clarity on the policy and outlining categories of eligible subscribers.
According to the NCC, the directive applies to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that fail to meet established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on Quality of Service (QoS). Affected operators include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile.
The regulator explained that compensation will cover service disruptions affecting voice calls, data usage, and SMS delivery. Subscribers may qualify if they experienced poor network service in a specific Local Government Area and carried out at least one billable activity such as a call, SMS, or data session within the affected period.
Importantly, the NCC stated that the compensation process will be automatic. Telecom operators are required to identify affected customers and credit them directly, without the need for users to submit complaints or applications.
“Only service failures that fall below defined thresholds under the Quality of Service Regulations will qualify,” the Commission noted, adding that brief or quickly resolved disruptions may not be eligible.
The framework applies to both individual and corporate subscribers, while a separate compensation structure already exists for Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The directive follows an earlier announcement by the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, reinforcing the regulator’s commitment to consumer protection in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
The NCC emphasised that reliable telecom services are essential for economic activities, social interaction, and digital access, warning that poor service quality undermines productivity and public confidence.
The new policy marks a shift from previous enforcement measures, where penalties were largely limited to fines imposed on operators. Under the new framework, affected subscribers will directly benefit through compensation.
Despite the move, the Commission acknowledged ongoing industry challenges, including frequent fibre cuts averaging about 1,100 incidents weekly which continue to impact service delivery nationwide.
