NCC Vows Stronger Consumer Protection, Holds Operators Accountable for Service Quality

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting telecommunications consumers, declaring that operators will be held accountable for service failures and poor service quality as the Commission intensifies regulatory measures to improve customer experience across the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the commitment at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos, with the theme “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy.” He stressed that effective regulation must translate into tangible improvements in the daily experiences of consumers.

According to Maida, the Commission remains focused on enforcing service standards, protecting consumer rights, and ensuring that telecommunications operators deliver the quality of service promised to subscribers. He noted that consumers deserve reliable connectivity, transparent billing, and accessible avenues for redress whenever service expectations are not met.

Maida stated that NCC as the regulator has an obligation to protect consumers by setting clear standards, holding service providers accountable, and ensuring that there is a fair way to seek redress. We must judge our work by the difference it makes to your experience.

“For a trader waiting to confirm a customer’s payment, a network failure can mean a lost sale, while a student trying to submit an assignment can miss a deadline because of a slow 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.”, he said.

Speaking on the theme of the event Maida said, “Our theme, ‘Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy’, speaks directly to our responsibility.”

Highlighting ongoing efforts to improve network performance, Maida disclosed that operators have undertaken more than 6,500 network improvement interventions in 2026, including capacity expansions, equipment upgrades, and deployments of newer technologies aimed at delivering more reliable voice and data services to Nigerians.

The EVC further urged consumers to leverage the Commission’s public coverage maps and performance-monitoring tools available on the NCC website to make informed choices about network providers in their respective locations.

“Our public coverage maps on the NCC website provide an independent comparison of networks using crowdsourced performance data from people’s everyday experience. You can use them to compare coverage and performance where you live, work or run your business, and see which network may best meet your needs,” he said.

He, however, expressed concern over the persistent vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, noting that fibre cuts, theft of equipment, and damage to network facilities continue to disrupt services and negatively impact consumers and businesses. He emphasized that protecting telecommunications infrastructure remains critical to sustaining service availability nationwide.

Reinforcing the Commission’s consumer-centred regulatory approach, Maida revealed that approximately 75 million subscribers have benefited from airtime compensation under the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026, stressing that the Commission will continue to enforce compliance and sanction breaches where necessary to safeguard consumer interests.

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

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Executive Commissioner Stakeholders Management (ECSM), Rimini Makama, told the gathering that the 95th edition of the Parliament was designed to deepen conversations around service reliability, billing transparency, and effective consumer complaint resolution. She called for stronger collaboration among regulators, operators, consumer groups, and other stakeholders to build a telecommunications ecosystem that consistently delivers value and confidence to Nigerian consumers.

“When you pay for a service, you should be able to depend on it, while the second is Clear Billing, No Surprises. You should be able to understand your data usage, your charges and any Value-Added Services on your line, without confusion or unexpected deductions, and the third is Every Voice Heard, No One Ignored. When you raise a complaint, you deserve to be listened to, treated fairly and helped in good time. That includes consumers who may face additional barriers in accessing services,” Rimini stated.