SPECIAL REPORT: Agonies Of Nigerian Telecoms Subscribers And NCC’s Regulatory Intervention
By Sunday Etuka
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Sunday, March 29, 2026, directed all the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country like, the MTN, Airtel, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile (formerly Etisalat) to pay compensation to subscribers whose network quality of service experience is below specified targets within specific locations.
This regulatory decision was in defence of the 182.2million Mobile Network Subscribers in Nigeria. NCC in the new directive, declared that subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery.
Over the years, stakeholders in the telecommunications sector have expressed dissatisfaction with the Mobile Service Providers over poor quality of service. They lamented the impact the menace is having on social and business growth as they could not get the value for their money from the Service Providers.
According to them, they could hardly make complete calls without problem, and monies were deducted even when calls did not get through. Banking transactions are also nearly impossible. Many Nigerians have been victims of this profit maximisation strategies and general lack of conscience or integrity in the way they conduct their business. Even after several sanctions by the regulator, the issue persisted.
It should be noted that the issue preceded this administration. During the last administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, the then Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, urged the Telecommunications Companies to improve the quality of services in order to satisfy their customers in the country.
While urging MNOs to legitimately exploit the market opportunity in the country, the Minister urged them to address the issues of poor service, high cost and illegal deduction of data.
He said he finds it unacceptable that with the prevailing high cost of data in Nigeria, the citizens still do not enjoy value for money, as subscribers battle daily with illegal deduction of data, poor Quality of Service (QoS), among others.
In January last year, the NCC, under the current leadership of the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, following intense pressure from the network operators granted approval for 50% tariff adjustment in response to prevailing market conditions.
The Commission while granting approvals for the tariff adjustment explained that the tariff rates have remained static since 2013, despite the increasing costs of operations faced by the telecom operators.
It further explained that the approved adjustment was aimed at addressing the significant gap between operational costs and previous tariffs, while ensuring that the delivery of services to consumers is not compromised.
A year after the 50% tariff adjustment, Nigerians are dissatisfied with the poor quality of telecom services, especially from the mobile telecom service providers, necessitating the current regulatory action.
With the current directive, erring operators would compensate affected users directly for breaches of Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
NCC said the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) shall be required to pay these compensations for instances of poor quality of service recorded within specified time frames. Noting that compensation would be provided in the form of airtime credits, calculated based on subscribers’ average spending patterns and their presence within Local Government Areas where service failures occur.
The directive, it explained, was rooted in its broader regulatory philosophy that places the consumer at the centre of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem. Adding that “telecommunications services today underpin economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities. When service quality is poor, the consequences affect productivity, commercial activities, and even public confidence in our communications system.”
NCC said while regulatory fines have traditionally served as a deterrent against poor service delivery, it is adopting a more consumer-focused approach that strengthens accountability within the industry. Saying that it has designed this measure to complement existing and ongoing efforts to strengthen service quality monitoring and enforce performance standards.
Further to the directive by the Commission to MNOs on compensation to consumers, NCC is also mandating Tower Companies who own the critical infrastructure for Quality of Service delivery, such as masts, to invest in infrastructure with measurable outcomes using sums that it has fined these companies, in addition to other financial fines the Commission would deem appropriate.
The Commission promised to continue to reinforce the obligation of operators to invest consistently in network resilience, capacity expansion, and infrastructure upgrades to meet the growing demand for telecommunications services.
In addition, NCC said it would deploy regulatory tools that promote fairness, transparency, and accountability across the sector, ensuring that every subscriber receives the quality of service they deserve while sustaining a telecommunications industry capable of powering Nigeria’s digital future.
