The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed telecommunications companies to provide airtime compensation to subscribers affected by poor network services.
The directive was announced by the commission’s executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer, Aminu Maida, during a media breakfast session held in Lagos on Thursday.
Maida explained that the move followed confirmed cases where service providers failed to meet the required minimum quality standards in different parts of the country.
“It is not a refund from the regulator but a compliance obligation placed on service providers,” he said.
He stressed that telecom operators must take full responsibility for lapses in service delivery. He added that the compensation applies to service failures recorded between November 2025 and January 2026 across various networks.
According to him, affected subscribers will receive airtime credits along with notifications that will state the reason and value of the compensation.
“Independent checks will confirm that affected subscribers are properly credited,” he said.
He warned that operators who fail to comply with the directive could face sanctions from the commission.
Maida also disclosed that the NCC has improved its monitoring framework. The commission now tracks network performance at the local government level instead of relying on state-level data. He said the change will help capture the actual experience of users more accurately.
“This granular approach allows us to pinpoint exact areas and periods of poor service and move beyond general complaints,” he said.
He noted that the compensation policy forms part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and rebuilding trust in the telecommunications sector.
The NCC boss further revealed that telecom operators plan to upgrade about 12,000 base stations in 2026 to tackle ongoing network challenges. He said the industry recorded limited upgrades in 2025, with just over 300 base stations improved. He linked the shortfall to increased congestion as data demand continued to rise.
However, he said progress has picked up in 2026, with about 2,800 base stations already upgraded in the early months of the year.
“These upgrades cover additional spectrum for 4G sites and the conversion of older networks to more advanced technologies,” he said.
Maida described spectrum as the “highways” of telecommunications. He said better spectrum allocation and trading have improved data speeds in some areas.
He cautioned that service improvements may not immediately reflect in user experience due to the rapid growth in data usage.
“When service improves, usage increases. This often leads to congestion returning faster than expected if capacity is not continuously expanded,” he said.
He added that continuous investment in fibre infrastructure remains essential for delivering affordable and reliable internet services across the country. He said the NCC will keep monitoring key indicators such as data speed and latency to ensure compliance with its standards.
Maida reiterated the commission’s commitment to protecting consumers. He said poor service quality will no longer be tolerated under the current regulatory approach.
