The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed the reasons it ordered the compensation of about 75 million telecommunications subscribers with airtime for poor quality services in 2026.
The Commission also disclosed that nearly three million other subscribers have been refunded for failed airtime and data transactions.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this at the 95th edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament held in Lagos on Tuesday.
The forum, with the theme “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” pulled regulators, telecommunications operators, consumer groups and other stakeholders to address persistent challenges affecting service quality and consumer rights.
The NCC boss stated that the compensation and refund reflected the impact of the Commission’s regulatory interventions, but stressed that preventing service failures remained more important to the commission than directing the compensation of subscribers after after failed transactions.
According to him, more than 6,500 network interventions had been already carried out nationwide in 2026, which included technology upgrades and capacity expansion in areas experiencing increased demand.
He said the interventions were designed to improve call reliability and internet connectivity, stressing that telecom operators were being monitored and are required to take corrective measures when they failed to meet prescribed service standards.
Dr. Maida also directed telecommunications operators to provide subscribers with clear information during major network outages, including the causes of disruptions and expected restoration times.
He attributed some service disruptions to the vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure and damage to fibre-optic cables during road construction.
He explained further that the Commission was working with relevant authorities and network operators to protect critical telecommunications infrastructure, urging Nigerians to report suspected vandalism and infrastructure damage.
