The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and mobile network operators (MNOs) engaged in a disagreement yesterday over the methodology used to determine instances of substandard service and the resulting compensation owed to subscribers.
On Sunday night, the NCC accused some telecom operators of delivering poor-quality services to certain consumers and ordered that affected subscribers be compensated. The directive requires operators to pay compensation where network quality falls below specified targets within defined locations.
However, the operators expressed reservations over the methodology used by the regulator to identify breaches, demanding clarification before full compliance.
President of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, stated: “We are engaging the Commission because some of our members affected are confused about how these decisions were reached. While we want to comply, we also have an obligation to ask questions where issues are unclear. We hope for a resolution within the Commission’s stipulated window.”
In response, the NCC, through its Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, emphasized that subscribers should not bear the full impact of service disruptions caused by operators’ lapses.
“Our position is that erring operators must compensate users directly for breaches of Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),” the Commission said in an official statement. “Compensation will take the form of airtime credits, calculated based on subscribers’ average spending and their location within affected Local Government Areas.”
The Commission highlighted that this approach is part of its broader regulatory philosophy, which places the consumer at the center of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem. “Telecommunications services underpin economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities. Poor service affects productivity, commerce, and public confidence,” the statement added.
Unlike traditional regulatory fines, the NCC said this consumer-focused measure aims to strengthen accountability within the sector while complementing ongoing service quality monitoring and enforcement efforts.
The Commission also directed tower companies that own critical network infrastructure to invest in improvements with measurable outcomes, using both existing fines and additional financial penalties as leverage.
“The Commission will continue to enforce operators’ obligations to invest in network resilience, capacity expansion, and infrastructure upgrades, ensuring every subscriber receives the quality of service they deserve while sustaining a robust telecommunications industry capable of supporting Nigeria’s digital future,” the statement concluded.
