The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed operators of telecommunications companies to compensate subscribers with airtime credits for poor network quality.
NCC’s executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), Aminu Maida, disclosed this during a media breakfast meeting in Lagos
NAN.quoted Maida as saying that the directive came after verified failures by operators to meet established minimum quality of service standards in many locations across the country.
“It is not a refund from the regulator but a compliance obligation placed on service providers,” he said.
The NCC helmsman stated that operators must bear total responsibility for service failures
According to Maida, the compensation specifically covers service failures recorded between November 2025 and January 2026 across multiple network providers.
He stated that eligible subscribers will get airtime credits followed by notifications explaining the cause and value of the compensation.
“Independent checks will confirm that affected subscribers are properly credited,” he said, adding that sanctions may be imposed on operators that fail to comply.
Maida stated that NCC has bolstered its monitoring systems by shifting performance tracking from the state level to the local government to accommodate the real experience of subscribers better.
“This granular approach allows us to pinpoint exact areas and periods of poor service and move beyond general complaints,” he said.
Maida added that telcos plan to upgrade about 12,000 base stations in 2026 as part of efforts to address persistent network quality and capacity challenges.
The NCC CEO said momentum has improved in 2026, with about 2,800 base station upgrades already completed in the early part of the year.
The upgrades, he stated, include the expansion of existing site capacity, deployment of new infrastructure, and conversion of legacy 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G technologies.
“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, noting that improved spectrum allocation and trading have contributed to better data speeds in some locations.
“When service improves, usage increases. This often leads to congestion returning faster than expected if capacity is not continuously expanded,” he said.
