The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to compensate subscribers with airtime credits for poor network quality, following confirmed breaches of service standards across several parts of the country.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos on Thursday, the commission’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aminu Maida, said the directive was issued after operators failed to meet the minimum quality of service benchmarks in multiple locations.
Maida clarified that the compensation is not a regulatory refund but a mandatory compliance measure for service providers. He emphasized that operators are fully responsible for service deficiencies recorded on their networks.
According to him, the compensation will cover verified service failures that occurred between November 2025 and January 2026. Affected subscribers are expected to receive airtime credits, along with notifications detailing the reason for the compensation and the value assigned.
He added that the NCC would carry out independent verification to ensure that eligible customers are properly credited, warning that sanctions may be imposed on operators that fail to comply with the directive.
As part of broader regulatory reforms, Maida disclosed that the commission has enhanced its monitoring framework by shifting performance tracking from the state level to the local government level. The move, he said, is aimed at capturing a more accurate reflection of user experience.
“This granular approach allows us to pinpoint specific locations and time periods of poor service, moving beyond generalised complaints,” he said.
The NCC noted that the compensation initiative forms part of wider efforts to strengthen accountability within the telecommunications sector and rebuild consumer confidence.
12,000 Base Station Upgrades Planned
Maida also revealed that telecom operators plan to upgrade approximately 12,000 base stations in 2026 to address ongoing network quality and capacity challenges.
He observed that progress in 2025 was limited, with just over 300 base stations upgraded during the year, contributing to network congestion amid rising data demand. However, he said the pace has improved in 2026, with about 2,800 upgrades already completed in the early months of the year.
The planned upgrades include expanding capacity at existing sites, deploying new infrastructure, and transitioning legacy 2G and 3G networks to more advanced 4G and 5G technologies.
Maida described spectrum as the “highways” of telecommunications, noting that improved allocation and trading have enhanced data speeds in some areas. However, he cautioned that increased infrastructure capacity may not immediately translate into better user experience due to rapidly growing data consumption.
“When service improves, usage increases, which can quickly lead to renewed congestion if capacity expansion is not sustained,” he said.
He stressed that continued investment in fibre infrastructure remains critical to delivering affordable and high-quality internet access nationwide. The commission, he added, will maintain oversight of key performance indicators such as data speed and latency to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Maida reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to consumer protection, stating that persistent poor service quality will no longer be tolerated under the commission’s current regulatory approach.
