- The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) annou nced a new collaborative measure with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial institutions.
- Objective: tackle the recurring problem of failed electronic payments and improve service quality across telecom networks.
NCC’s announcement and policy changes
- The announcement was made during an interactive session with the media in Abuja on Tuesday 19th August 2025
- NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Dr. Aminu Maida, stated that:
- The Commission has revised its Quality of Service (QoS) guidelines.
- Accountability has been expanded beyond Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to also include co-location service providers (TowerCos).
On failed recharges and top-ups
- Maida explained:
- NCC created a joint task force with CBN and banks to standardise operations around electronic payments for airtime and data purchases.
- Previously, subscribers complained about being debited during recharge but not receiving credit.
- He noted:
- “The director of consumer affairs with our counterparts in the CBN set up a task force, and there’s now a framework under review to standardise top-up and recharge operations.”
- Investigations revealed that lack of a standardised framework was the root cause of the problem.
- Each player in the ecosystem operated independently, creating inconsistencies and failures.
- Maida emphasised:
- “That was why we had to bring all parties together.”
Strengthening oversight and service quality
- Beyond fixing payment failures, Maida highlighted that:
- NCC has strengthened its regulatory oversight on service delivery.
- Under the revised QoS guidelines:
- MNOs are no longer the only ones held accountable.
- TowerCos are now included in the accountability framework.
Operators’ service improvement commitments
- Operators have already submitted service improvement plans to NCC.
- These plans are being scrutinised through bi-weekly meetings with the regulator.
- Maida revealed:
- Fresh investments are being made in critical infrastructure.
- New equipment is being delivered and installed nationwide to boost network quality.
- He assured Nigerians:
- NCC is directly engaging operators on rollout plans.
- Operators are expected to deliver measurable improvements.
- Nigerians will soon begin to see benefits from the ongoing deployments.
Addressing complaints of data depletion
- On the rising complaints of data depletion, Maida clarified:
- Independent audits were conducted by Tier-1 firms such as PwC and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG).
- The audits found no evidence that operators were deliberately draining customers’ data.
- Instead, dissatisfaction is often due to:
- Confusing tariff structures, which make billing hard to understand.
- To address this, NCC:
- Issued a guideline for tariff simplification.
- Provided a unified disclosure template requiring all operators to publish their tariffs in a standard format.
Information disclosure and transparency
- Maida stressed that:
- Information disclosure and transparency will remain key regulatory strategies.
- These will drive:
- Competitiveness.
- Improved service delivery.
- Consumer protection.
- He added that NCC is monitoring trends in digital consumption.
- Promised that future regulatory interventions will be designed to:
- Support innovation.
- Safeguard consumer interests.
- He reiterated:
- “Our role is to ensure that Nigerians not only have access to telecom services but can also rely on them with confidence.”
Consumer education on data management
- The Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau at NCC, Freda Bruce-Bennett, advised Nigerians on better data management habits:
- Regularly update mobile applications.
- Limit automatic downloads.
- Monitor background app activities.
- She recommended using data management tools provided by service providers.
- Examples of effective steps include:
- Monitoring app permissions.
- Turning off auto-play on videos.
- Disabling background data for non-essential apps.
- Bruce-Bennett stressed:
- “Simple steps like these can make a big difference.”
NCC’s broader commitment
- NCC reaffirmed its commitment to working with:
- Banks.
- Mobile operators.
- Other stakeholders.
- Goal: ensure Nigerians enjoy reliable, affordable, and transparent telecom services.
