The Nigerian Communications Commission has instructed mobile network operators to compensate subscribers who experience prolonged or recurring poor service quality, under a new framework set to take effect from April 2026.

According to the commission, the directive is designed to strengthen accountability within the telecommunications sector. Operators are required to identify affected customers and issue compensation directly, the regulator said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

Under the framework, subscribers in affected local government areas will automatically receive airtime credits for service disruptions impacting voice calls, SMS, and data services. The compensation applies to both individual and corporate customers.

“To be eligible, you must have experienced poor network service in an affected local government area, and you made at least one outgoing revenue-generating event (billed call, SMS, or data session) during the relevant period,” the regulator stated in a post on its website on Tuesday.

Subscribers will receive SMS notifications once the airtime credits are applied, including details of the amount and the reason for the compensation.

For customers with multiple SIM cards, only the affected lines with billed activity in the impacted local government areas will be credited.

Subscribers who switch operators during or after an outage will not qualify for compensation from their previous provider.

Telecom operators have continued to grapple with recurring network disruptions, largely triggered by widespread fibre-cut incidents, even as they invest heavily in upgrading core infrastructure and expanding coverage.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the industry recorded 577 network outages, 361 of which were directly linked to fibre cuts. MTN and Backbone Connectivity accounted for roughly 70 per cent of the reported incidents.

Subscribers will not be required to file claims for compensation.

Operators are mandated to track network performance across locations and assess service disruptions against established Quality of Service KPIs. This process allows them to identify impacted subscribers without the need for individual complaints, the commission said.

The airtime credits provided will be unrestricted and can be used for voice calls, USSD transactions, and data subscriptions on the operator’s network.
The commission stressed that the new framework does not replace existing consumer protection mechanisms.

“The directive adds a direct compensation mechanism for affected subscribers. It aligns with measures set in existing legislation such as the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024,” it said.

The compensation mechanism applies exclusively to Nigerian mobile network operators. Internet service providers are covered under a separate framework.

Foreign SIM cards roaming in Nigeria are not eligible for compensation, although subscribers on national roaming may qualify, subject to evaluation by the host network.