The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that its directive mandating telecommunications operators to compensate subscribers for prolonged or repeated poor service quality will take effect from this month (April 2026).
The commission disclosed this in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document released on Tuesday, offering clarity on how the compensation framework will work and which subscribers qualify.
According to the NCC, the directive applies specifically to Mobile Network Operators that fail to meet the required Key Performance Indicators for Quality of Service.
These operators include major players such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile, although the commission did not specify which of them fell short of the standards.
The commission noted that a separate compensation framework already exists for Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Under the new directive, compensation will cover service failures affecting voice calls, data services, and SMS.
To qualify, subscribers must have experienced poor network service in an affected Local Government Area and must have carried out at least one revenue-generating activity—such as a billed call, SMS, or data session—within the period in question.
The NCC said that both individual and corporate subscribers are eligible for compensation.
The NCC stated that subscribers will not need to apply to receive compensation. Instead, telecom operators are mandated to automatically identify affected customers and compensate them directly.
“The compensation framework will take effect from April 2026,” the NCC said.
Asked if the new policy replaces existing consumer protection mechanisms, the commission said, “No. The directive does not replace existing consumer protection mechanisms. It adds a direct compensation mechanism for affected subscribers. It aligns with measures set in existing legislation, such as the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024.
“Operators are required and mandated to identify affected subscribers and provide compensation directly. Only service failures that fall below the defined thresholds set by the Quality of Service Regulations will qualify,” NCC said.
However, the regulator clarified that minor or short-lived network disruptions that are quickly resolved may not meet the threshold for compensation.
The move is part of the NCC’s broader efforts to improve service delivery and hold telecom operators accountable for consistent network performance across the country.
Subscribers will be notified via SMS once airtime credits are applied, with details of the amount and purpose of the compensation.
For subscribers with multiple SIMs, only affected lines with billed activity in the impacted LGAs will be credited.
Those who switch operators during or after an outage will not be eligible for compensation from the previous operator.
The compensation mechanism applies only to Nigerian MNOs. Internet service providers already have a separate framework in place.
Foreign SIMs roaming in Nigeria are not eligible, though subscribers on national roaming may qualify, depending on the host network evaluation.
Only prolonged or repeated service failures falling below regulatory thresholds will qualify. Short or quickly remedied outages are excluded.
Past outages before November 2025 are also excluded. Exceptional circumstances such as fibre cuts, vandalism, theft, or natural disasters will be reviewed before compensation is granted.
The NCC said operators may still face regulatory fines in addition to compensation for severe or repeated service failures. “Compliance will be monitored, and the commission may conduct independent audits through reputable audit firms,” the NCC said.
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