MTN, Glo, Airtel, Others to Begin Mandatory Compensation of Nigerians for Poor Network Service Starting this April__ Federal Government
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that telecommunications operators will begin compensating subscribers for poor service quality starting this April.
The directive, detailed in a Frequently Asked Questions document released on Tuesday, outlines how the compensation framework will operate and who qualifies to benefit from it.
According to the NCC, the policy targets Mobile Network Operators that fail to meet the required Key Performance Indicators for Quality of Service. While major operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and 9mobile fall under this category, the Commission did not specify which providers have breached the standards.
The Commission also clarified that a separate compensation structure already exists for Internet Service Providers.
Under the new framework, compensation will apply to service failures affecting voice calls, data usage, and SMS delivery. To qualify, subscribers must have experienced poor network service within a specific Local Government Area and must have engaged in at least one billable activity—such as making a call, sending an SMS, or using data—during the affected period.
Both individual and corporate subscribers are eligible for compensation.
Notably, subscribers will not need to submit claims. Instead, telecom operators are mandated to automatically identify affected customers and compensate them directly.
“The compensation framework will take effect from April 2026,” the NCC stated. “This directive does not replace existing consumer protection mechanisms but introduces a direct compensation system that aligns with current regulations, including the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024.”
The Commission further explained that only service failures falling below established regulatory thresholds will qualify for compensation. Minor or short-lived disruptions that are quickly resolved may not meet the criteria.
This initiative forms part of the NCC’s broader efforts to improve service delivery and ensure telecom operators are held accountable for consistent network performance across the country.