NCC, CBN to Introduce Unified Refund System for Failed Airtime and Data Purchases

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are set to roll out a joint refund framework aimed at resolving consumer complaints linked to failed airtime and data transactions.

The initiative follows months of consultations involving the NCC, CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), and other industry stakeholders. The discussions were triggered by the growing number of cases where subscribers were debited for airtime or data purchases without receiving the service, often with delayed or unresolved complaints.

The framework represents a coordinated approach between the telecommunications and financial sectors to address these issues. It outlines the causes of failed transactions, including system downtimes, technical glitches and human errors, and establishes a binding Service Level Agreement (SLA) that clearly defines the responsibilities of banks and telecom operators in resolving such cases.

Under the new arrangement, customers who are debited without receiving airtime or data will be entitled to a refund within 30 seconds, except where transactions are pending, in which case refunds may take up to 24 hours. The framework also requires operators to notify subscribers via SMS on the success or failure of every transaction.

In addition, it covers cases of erroneous recharges, including transactions to ported lines, incorrect purchases, and airtime or data sent to the wrong phone number.

Speaking on the development, the NCC’s Director of Consumer Affairs, Mrs Freda Bruce-Bennett, said the framework also provides for a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly managed by the NCC and the CBN. She explained that the dashboard will allow both regulators to track failed transactions, identify responsible parties, monitor refunds, and detect SLA breaches in real time.

“Failed top-ups consistently rank among the top three consumer complaints, and addressing this issue swiftly was a priority for us,” she said.

She added that, pending final approval by the management of both regulators, MNOs and banks have already refunded over ₦10 billion to customers for failed transactions.

According to Mrs Bruce-Bennett, full implementation of the framework is expected to begin on March 1, 2026, following final regulatory approvals and the completion of technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers and DMBs.

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