By Abigail David
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says telecommunications operators have compensated more than 75 million subscribers for poor network service, marking one of the largest consumer redress initiatives in Africa’s telecom sector.
The disclosure was made in a communiqué issued after the commission’s 109th board meeting held on May 25, 2026. The compensation followed an NCC directive requiring mobile operators to automatically credit affected customers with airtime for service disruptions and substandard network performance.
According to the regulator, the compensation programme reflects significant progress in enforcing quality-of-service standards across the industry. The NCC, however, said it is independently verifying operators’ claims to ensure that all eligible subscribers receive the compensation due to them.
The commission also reviewed compliance by telecom infrastructure providers, including tower companies, directing them to fully implement network upgrade commitments funded through regulatory fines. It noted that while progress had been made, full compliance remained necessary to improve service quality sustainably.
The NCC identified infrastructure vandalism, growing data demand and limited fibre deployment as key challenges affecting the sector. It added that efforts to expand fibre networks and strengthen telecom infrastructure security are ongoing, including plans for a Communications Industry Security Trust Fund.
Nigeria’s telecom industry invested about N2.13 trillion in network infrastructure in 2025, with operators projecting an additional N1.86 trillion investment in 2026 to expand coverage and improve service delivery.
