NCC Orders Telcoms to Compensate Nigerians for Poor Service

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a landmark directive ordering telecommunications operators to pay compensation to subscribers for persistent poor service delivery. The order follows a surge in complaints regarding dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and billing irregularities across major networks. MTN Nigeria has already reportedly begun the process of compensating affected users as part of the new regulatory compliance.

The NCC’s new "Quality of Service" (QoS) framework mandates that operators must provide automatic rebates or credits to customers whenever service levels fall below the established national benchmarks. This move is seen as a major win for consumer rights in Nigeria’s digital economy, which now contributes over **19% to the national GDP. Regulators emphasized that the era of "paying for service not rendered" is officially over.

Telecom operators have cited rising operational costs and vandalism of infrastructure as the primary causes of service disruptions. However, the NCC remains firm, stating that while it recognizes these challenges, the burden of poor service should not fall on the Nigerian consumer.

By Benita Ibrahim