The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that approximately 75 million telecommunications subscribers benefited from airtime compensation under its Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026, reaffirming its determination to hold operators accountable for poor service delivery.
The Commission said it would sustain regulatory enforcement and sanction operators that fail to meet prescribed service standards as part of efforts to improve consumer experience and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos, themed “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy.”
Maida stressed that the effectiveness of telecommunications regulation should be measured by its impact on subscribers, particularly in the areas of network reliability, billing transparency and access to effective complaint resolution.
According to him, the Commission has a responsibility to establish clear standards, protect consumer rights and ensure that service providers take responsibility when their services fall short of expectations.
He said, “NCC as the regulator has an obligation to protect consumers by setting clear standards, holding service providers accountable, and ensuring that there is a fair way to seek redress. We must judge our work by the difference it makes to your experience.”
Illustrating the consequences of poor network performance, the NCC chief noted that service disruptions could affect business transactions, educational activities and other essential aspects of daily life.
“For a trader waiting to confirm a customer’s payment, a network failure can mean a lost sale, while a student trying to submit an assignment can miss a deadline because of a slow connection. These everyday experiences should guide our conversation today, because people want their phones to work, their charges to make sense and someone to take responsibility when things go wrong,” he said.
Speaking on the significance of the event, Maida said the theme reflected the Commission’s responsibility to ensure that telecommunications services meet consumers’ expectations in an increasingly digital economy.
“Our theme, ‘Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy’, speaks directly to our responsibility.”
He disclosed that telecommunications operators had undertaken more than 6,500 network improvement interventions in 2026, covering capacity expansion, equipment upgrades and the deployment of newer technologies to improve the reliability of voice and data services nationwide.
The EVC also encouraged subscribers to take advantage of the NCC’s public coverage maps and performance-monitoring tools available on its website to compare network performance and make informed decisions about service providers in their locations.
“Our public coverage maps on the NCC website provide an independent comparison of networks using crowdsourced performance data from people’s everyday experience. You can use them to compare coverage and performance where you live, work or run your business and see which network may best meet your needs,” he said.
However, Maida identified the persistent vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure as a major challenge to service delivery, citing fibre-optic cable cuts, equipment theft and damage to network facilities as factors disrupting connectivity and affecting businesses and individual subscribers.
He emphasised that safeguarding telecommunications infrastructure was essential to maintaining reliable services across the country, calling for greater attention to the protection of critical network facilities.
Reiterating the Commission’s commitment to consumer protection, Maida assured subscribers that operators would continue to face scrutiny over their service performance.
“We will continue to hold operators accountable for the quality of service they provide,” he assured.
Earlier, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Rimini Makama, said the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament was organised to deepen engagement on service reliability, transparent billing and the effective resolution of consumer complaints.
Makama called for stronger collaboration among regulators, telecommunications operators, consumer groups and other stakeholders to build an industry that consistently delivers value and earns the confidence of subscribers.
She outlined key consumer expectations, including dependable services, clear billing and responsive complaint-handling mechanisms, stressing that subscribers should not be left confused about their data consumption, charges or deductions.
“When you pay for a service, you should be able to depend on it; the second is Clear Billing, No Surprises. You should be able to understand your data usage, your charges and any value-added services on your line without confusion or unexpected deductions, and the third is Every Voice Heard, No One Ignored. When you raise a complaint, you deserve to be listened to, treated fairly and helped in good time. That includes consumers who may face additional barriers in accessing services,” Rimini stated.
The Commission’s renewed emphasis on accountability, infrastructure protection and consumer redress comes amid growing expectations for reliable connectivity as telecommunications services become increasingly central to commerce, education and everyday communication in Nigeria.