By George Ozalla
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to compensate subscribers for service disruptions, signalling a firmer regulatory stance on service quality and consumer protection.
The directive was contained in a press statement signed by the Commission’s management, which raised concern over recurring complaints from subscribers ranging from dropped calls to unstable data services and prolonged network outages.
Under the new directive, operators are expected to provide compensation to affected customers in instances where service failure is established to have originated from their networks. The Commission made it clear that such obligations are not optional, but part of the existing regulatory framework guiding telecom operations in the country.
It noted that compensation may come in different forms, including airtime credits, data allocations, or service validity extensions, depending on the nature and duration of the disruption.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) warned that non-compliance would attract sanctions, stressing that operators must align fully with the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations, which sets out standards for service delivery and redress for subscribers.
Subscribers were also encouraged to formally report service challenges through approved complaint channels, with the Commission assuring that such reports would be tracked and addressed within established timelines.
The directive aptly signals a renewed push by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to hold telecom providers to account as network usage continues to expand, placing greater demand on infrastructure and service reliability across the country.
