The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says 75 million telecommunications subscribers received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026, while nearly three million others received refunds for failed airtime and data purchases.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed the figures on Tuesday in Lagos during the 95th edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament, where regulators, telecommunications operators and consumer advocacy groups discussed ways to improve service quality and strengthen consumer protection.
The event, held under the theme “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” focused on recurring complaints about network performance, unclear billing, failed transactions and delays in resolving customer disputes.
Maida said the commission was intensifying its regulatory efforts to ensure telecommunications operators meet service standards and provide appropriate remedies when customers experience service failures.
He, however, stressed that compensation alone could not fully address the consequences of poor connectivity, particularly when subscribers lose business opportunities or cannot complete important calls.
“Compensation matters, but it cannot recover a lost business opportunity or an important conversation that could not take place,” he said, adding that the regulator’s priority remained reducing the failures that make compensation necessary.
More Than 6,500 Network Interventions Recorded
According to Maida, more than 6,500 network interventions had been carried out across the country in 2026. The measures included upgrades to newer technologies and additional capacity in areas experiencing increased demand.
The interventions are intended to improve call reliability and internet connectivity as data consumption and reliance on digital services continue to grow.
The NCC said it was monitoring operators’ performance and requiring corrective action where service standards were not being met.
Maida also emphasised the importance of timely communication during major network outages. He said operators should provide customers with clear information about what caused a disruption and when services were expected to return.
The commission identified vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure and damage to fibre-optic cables during road construction as factors contributing to service disruptions in some communities.
Maida said the NCC was working with relevant authorities and operators to protect critical telecommunications infrastructure. He also urged residents to report suspected vandalism and damage to the appropriate authorities.
NCC Plans Clearer Data Usage Notifications
The commission also addressed consumer concerns about billing and the rate at which mobile data is consumed.
Maida said the NCC’s tariff simplification measures were intended to help subscribers understand the price, data allowance and validity period of bundles before making purchases.
He announced that a usage notification guideline was forthcoming to provide customers with clearer information about their daily data consumption, remaining balances and more detailed breakdowns of usage.
The proposed guideline is expected to help subscribers monitor their spending, identify discrepancies and challenge charges they believe are inaccurate.
Under the approach outlined by the regulator, telecommunications operators would be expected to investigate disputed data usage fairly and explain their findings to affected customers.
The measure could be particularly important for subscribers who depend on mobile data for work, online learning, business transactions and other essential activities.
However, the effectiveness of the proposed guideline will depend on its implementation and the clarity and accessibility of the information provided to customers.
Framework Targets Failed Airtime and Data Transactions
Failed transactions were another major issue addressed at the meeting.
Maida said the NCC had worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria, telecommunications operators and financial service providers to establish a framework for tracing failed airtime and data purchases and ensuring timely refunds.
The framework is intended to address situations in which customers are debited for transactions but do not receive the airtime or data they paid for.
Such incidents can leave consumers moving between banks, payment providers and network operators in search of a resolution.
By improving coordination among the institutions involved, the framework seeks to make it easier to trace transactions, establish responsibility and return funds to affected subscribers.
The commission’s reported refunds to nearly three million subscribers demonstrate the scale of the issue being addressed, although the figures provided at the event did not include a breakdown of the amounts refunded or the average time taken to resolve complaints.
TIRMS to Address Risks From Recycled Phone Numbers
The NCC also highlighted the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), which is designed to address risks associated with recycled phone numbers and numbers linked to fraudulent activity.
Phone numbers are commonly used to identify customers across financial services and other digital platforms. When a number is reassigned to a new user, unresolved links between the number and a previous owner’s accounts can create security risks.
Maida said the commission intended to extend the system’s use across sectors where phone numbers serve as identifiers for customers and transactions, building on its collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The system is expected to help organisations identify recycled numbers and numbers flagged for fraud, potentially reducing the risk of unauthorised access to accounts and services.
The NCC also urged Nigerians to verify mobile devices before purchasing them, warning that counterfeit and substandard phones, batteries and chargers could expose consumers to financial losses and safety risks.
Maida advised consumers to dial *315# and follow the prompts, or call 315 for assistance, to check a device’s approval and verification status before paying for it.
Subscribers Urged to Escalate Unresolved Complaints
The commission encouraged subscribers experiencing poor service or billing problems to contact their service providers first and obtain complaint reference numbers.
Where an issue remains unresolved, customers can escalate their complaints to the NCC through its toll-free line, 622.
Earlier, the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the NCC, Rimini Makama, said the Telecom Consumer Parliament was intended to address persistent consumer concerns and encourage practical commitments from the industry.
Makama said the forum should produce clear responsibilities and actions that customers could notice in their everyday use of telecommunications services.
She stressed that reliable connectivity, transparent billing and accessible complaint-resolution channels were essential to building public confidence as Nigeria’s digital economy expands.
Consumer Advocates Call for Public Accountability
In a lead paper presented at the event, Executive Director of the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF), Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, argued that the growth of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry should not be measured by subscription figures alone.
Citing NCC industry statistics for August 2026, she said Nigeria had 197.4 million active telephony subscriptions and 158.5 million internet subscriptions.
She cautioned that subscriptions do not necessarily represent individual users and cannot, by themselves, establish whether customers receive reliable connectivity, transparent billing or effective complaint resolution.
Ndukwe-Okafor called for more detailed and publicly accessible information on network performance, billing disputes, failed transactions and complaint outcomes.
Among her proposals was a public action register to track commitments made at the Telecom Consumer Parliament, including the institutions responsible, implementation deadlines and progress updates.
She also recommended standardised, plain-language information on tariffs and data bundles, improved tracking of failed transactions across financial institutions and telecom operators, and more accessible complaint channels for older people and persons with disabilities.
The paper proposed that the NCC publish an initial consumer-experience progress scorecard within six months, alongside improvements in reporting on service quality, refunds and complaint outcomes.
Ndukwe-Okafor maintained that consumer protection should be measured by whether complaints are genuinely resolved and remedies delivered, rather than simply by the number of cases marked as closed.
The 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament brought together the regulator, telecommunications operators, consumer advocates and other stakeholders to examine practical ways to improve service quality and strengthen consumer rights.
While the reported compensation and refund figures indicate the scale of the NCC’s consumer interventions, the discussions also highlighted the need for lasting improvements in network reliability, transparent billing and accountability across Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.