Poor Telecoms Services: NCC, Operators Bicker On Compensation

The issue of compensation for subscribers over poor telecoms services is causing a heated argument between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the telecom operators.

The two parties are yet to agree on the modalities for determining losses incurred by customers and how to compensated them.

This was a major fallout of the meeting of the two parties where the regulatory body not only criticized the telecoms operators for poor services but stated they should compensate subscribers for poor services.

“Our position is that subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery.

“Under this directive, erring operators will compensate affected users directly for breaches of Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)”, NCC Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha said.

On the other hand, for President of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, Engr Gbenga Adebayo, there are still issues that remain unclear before such compensations could be paid.

“I am aware of the directive of the commission to my members. But, we are engaging them because some of my members affected are confused about how the commission arrived at such decisions.

“While we would also want to comply with the Commission’s directives, we are also obligated to ask questions where issues are not clear; and that’s the stage we are at now. Perhaps, we may have a resolution within the window of the Commission’s directive”.

According to the NCC however, “Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) shall be required to pay these compensations for instances of poor quality of service recorded within specified time frames.

“The compensation will be provided in the form of airtime credits, calculated based on subscribers’ average spending patterns and their presence within Local Government Areas where service failures occur.

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“The directive is rooted in the Commission’s broader regulatory philosophy that places the consumer at the centre of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem. Telecommunications services today underpin economic activity, social interaction, and access to digital opportunities. When service quality is poor, the consequences affect productivity, commercial activities, and even public confidence in our communications system.

“While regulatory fines have traditionally served as a deterrent against poor service delivery, the Commission is adopting a more consumer-focused approach that strengthens accountability within the industry.

“The Commission has designed this measure to complement existing and ongoing efforts to strengthen service quality monitoring and enforce performance standards”.