BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced the criteria for subscribers who will be eligible to receive compensation from telecom operators for poor service quality, set to take effect from April 2026.
This is contained in the commission official website titled “Framework for Compensation of Consumers” posted on its FAQ section released on Tuesday.
According to to the commission, the directive does not replace existing consumer protection mechanisms. It adds a direct compensation mechanism for affected subscribers. It aligns with measures set in existing legislations such as the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024.
This directive applies to only Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) licensed and operating in Nigeria that have failed to meet their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on Quality of Service. For Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating in Nigeria, a compensation framework is already in place.
Those eligible to receive compensation are those who experienced poor network service in an affected Local Government Area; and “You made at least one outgoing revenue generating event (billed call, SMS, or data session) during the relevant period.”
The compensation covers service failures affecting voice, data, or SMS services.
The compensation framework covers both individuals and corporate customers.
The FAQ reads further:
Do I need to apply to receive compensation?
No. It is automatic. Operators are required and mandated to identify affected subscribers and provide compensation directly.
How will operators know that I experienced a network outage?
Operators are required and mandated by existing regulations to monitor their network performance across locations and service disruptions against Quality of Service KPIs. This enables them to identify affected subscribers without the need for individual complaints.
What qualifies as a prolonged or repeated poor quality of service experience?
Only service failures that fall below the defined thresholds set by the Quality of Service Regulations issued by the NCC will qualify for compensation. Short, isolated interruptions and immediately remedied interruptions may not qualify
What form will the compensation take?
Compensation will be provided in the form of airtime credits. This airtime credit will not have utilisation restrictions, and subscribers will be able to use it for voice calls, USSD sessions, data subscriptions, etc on the operators’ network.
How will the airtime credit be calculated?
The compensation amount will be based on:
• The subscriber’s billed usage during the relevant period;
• The operator’s QoS performance in the affected LGA; and
• Confirmation that the subscriber made at least one billed outgoing activity during the period.
How is my “spending during the period of the poor quality of service experience” calculated?
It is based on your total billed usage (calls, SMS, data and USSD sessions) during the month when the poor quality of service was experienced.
How will I know that I have been compensated?
Your network provider will notify you via SMS once the airtime credit has been applied, including details of the amount and the purpose of the compensation.
If I use multiple SIM cards, will each one be compensated?
Only the lines that were affected by the service disruption and made a billed outgoing activity in the affected Local Government Area during the relevant assessment period will be compensated.
What happens if I switch operators during or after an outage?
Compensation will apply only to existing subscribers of the operator whose network experienced the poor quality of service.
If I am roaming in Nigeria, will I still be eligible for compensation?
Foreign SIMs roaming in Nigeria are not eligible for compensation. Subscribers of Nigerian operators may only be eligible if they were in Nigeria and made billed outgoing activity in an affected Local Government Area during the relevant period. While those on National Roaming may qualify based on the evaluation of the host network and billable activities that are attributable to distinctive subscriber activity NOT roaming net offs between the host and roaming operators.
Will compensation apply to outages that occurred in the past?
No. Compensation will only apply to poor quality of service experienced from November 2025.
How often will compensation be applied?
Compensation will only be triggered when the Commission confirms that an operator has failed to meet its network performance KPIs.
How long will it take for compensation to be processed?
Compensation will be issued after the Commission completes its review and directs the operator to compensate affected subscribers.
Can I appeal if I believe the compensation is inadequate?
No. The calculation and determination of compensation are made by the Commission based on verified network performance data.
What happens if an operator disputes that an outage occurred?
The NCC will determine whether a breach occurred by analysing verified network performance data and other relevant information.
Will operators still be fined in addition to compensation?
Yes. In certain cases, operators may still face regulatory penalties, particularly for severe or repeated violations.
Are there any exclusions, such as outages/poor service quality caused by vandalism or natural disasters?
Yes. In cases involving force majeure or exceptional events such as fibre cuts, theft, vandalism, or natural disasters, the Commission will review the circumstances and determine whether compensation applies.
Will this compensation affect the tariffs or prices I currently pay?
No. The compensation framework does not affect existing tariffs or service pricing.
How will the NCC ensure operators comply with this directive?
The NCC will monitor compliance and may conduct independent audits through reputable audit firms.
Where can I read more on this framework?
More details on this directive, including the publication of affected locations are going to be available on the Nigerian Communications Commission website: www.ncc.gov.ng.
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