By George Ozalla

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to strengthen consumer protection and hold telecommunications operators accountable for poor service quality, warning that regulatory measures must translate into tangible improvements in the experience of subscribers across the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, gave the assurance at the 95th edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament held at Centre Point, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

The event, themed “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” brought together regulatory officials, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders to deliberate on service reliability, billing transparency and effective complaint resolution.

Maida stated that the Commission would continue to enforce service standards, protect subscribers’ rights and ensure that operators deliver the quality of service promised to consumers.

He maintained that subscribers deserve reliable connectivity, transparent billing and accessible channels for seeking redress whenever telecommunications services fall below expected standards.

According to him, the effectiveness of regulation should be measured by the practical difference it makes in the daily lives of Nigerians who depend on telecommunications services for business, education and other essential activities.

He illustrated the consequences of poor network performance with the experience of a trader unable to confirm a customer’s payment because of network failure and a student who misses an assignment deadline due to a slow internet 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,” Maida said.

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 voice and data services.

The NCC chief executive also encouraged consumers to use the Commission’s public coverage maps and performance-monitoring tools available on its website to compare network performance in their locations.

He explained that the coverage maps draw on crowdsourced performance data, enabling subscribers to assess the quality of available networks in areas where they live, work or conduct business before making informed choices.

Maida, however, expressed concern over the persistent vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, particularly fibre-optic cable cuts, equipment theft and damage to network facilities, which continue to disrupt services and affect businesses and individual subscribers.

He stressed that protecting telecommunications infrastructure was essential to sustaining reliable service delivery nationwide and called attention to the need for continued efforts to safeguard critical network facilities.

On consumer compensation, Maida revealed that approximately 75 million subscribers had benefited from airtime compensation under the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026.

He assured consumers that the Commission would sustain its enforcement efforts and sanction operators that violate applicable service requirements.

“We will continue to hold operators accountable for the quality of service they provide,” he said.

Earlier, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Ms Rimini Makama, said the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament was organised to deepen discussions on service reliability, transparent billing and timely resolution of consumer complaints.

Makama called for stronger cooperation among regulators, telecommunications operators, consumer groups and other stakeholders to build an industry that consistently delivers value and inspires public confidence.

She outlined key expectations for subscribers, including dependable services, clear billing and responsive complaint-handling mechanisms.

According to her, consumers should be able to understand their data usage, charges and any value-added services activated on their lines without confusion or unexpected deductions.

She also stressed that subscribers who lodge complaints deserve to be heard, treated fairly and assisted promptly, including consumers who encounter additional barriers when accessing telecommunications services.

The NCC’s renewed commitment comes amid continuing public concerns over network reliability, unexplained deductions, data consumption and the quality of services delivered by telecommunications operators.

The Commission’s position at the Parliament reinforces the need for operators to match their service commitments with measurable performance improvements, while ensuring that subscribers have effective channels to report service failures and obtain appropriate redress.