WHAT HAPPENED
The Nigerian Communications Commission directed Mobile Network Operators to compensate users for poor network service.
The directive applies when operators fail to meet Quality of Service performance standards.
The compensation framework takes effect from April 2026.
KEY DETAILS
- Compensation applies only to affected Local Government Areas where service falls below NCC thresholds.
- Eligible users must experience poor service and make at least one billed activity during the period.
- Covered services include voice calls, SMS, and data usage.
- Both individual and corporate customers are eligible under the framework.
- Compensation will be issued automatically without requiring user applications.
- Operators will identify affected users using network performance monitoring data.
HOW COMPENSATION WORKS
- Compensation will be paid as airtime credit usable for calls, data, USSD, and other services.
- The amount is based on billed usage, network performance, and confirmed service disruption.
- Spending is calculated from total monthly billed usage during the affected period.
- Users will receive SMS notifications once compensation is applied to their lines.
LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS
- Only subscribers of affected operators during the outage period will receive compensation.
- Foreign SIM cards roaming in Nigeria are not eligible for compensation.
- Short or quickly resolved network issues may not qualify for compensation.
- Compensation does not apply to outages before November 2025.
- Exceptional events like vandalism or natural disasters may be excluded after NCC review.
BACKGROUND
The directive complements existing regulations like the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024.
It also aligns with the Quality of Service Regulations 2024 already in force.
IMPLICATIONS
- Users may receive direct airtime credits instead of relying only on complaints systems.
- Operators may face additional penalties for repeated or severe service failures.
- The NCC will monitor compliance and may conduct independent audits.
