By Sunday Apah
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed mobile network operators to provide restitution to customers experiencing service quality that fails to meet established regulatory benchmarks.
In a public notice released on Sunday, the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, stated that eligible subscribers will be credited with airtime.
The compensation amount will be determined by individual usage patterns and geographic location within local government areas where network performance has been deficient.
“Consumers should not shoulder the complete impact of service interruptions when operators do not fulfill their mandated service quality obligations,” the Commission affirmed.
It further clarified that the restitution initiative reflects its consumer-centric regulatory approach, designed to prioritize subscribers within the nation’s telecommunications landscape.
“Modern telecommunications services are foundational to economic operations, social connectivity, and digital inclusion. Inadequate service quality adversely impacts productivity, commerce, and public trust in the communications network,” the statement elaborated.
Also, the regulator has directed Tower Companies, which manage essential infrastructure like communication masts, to allocate penalty funds toward verifiable infrastructure enhancements aimed at boosting network reliability.
“The Commission remains committed to enforcing operator obligations for sustained investment in network durability, capacity growth, and infrastructure modernization to address escalating demand for telecom services,” it noted.
The NCC also emphasized its continued use of regulatory measures to advance equity, clarity, and responsibility, thereby safeguarding subscribers’ entitlement to satisfactory service quality.
“Pursuant to this directive, the Commission is also requiring Tower Companies to direct penalty revenues into infrastructure projects with tangible results, alongside any additional financial sanctions deemed necessary,” the announcement concluded.
