Over 75 million telecom users get refunds for bad service, NCC

More than 75 million telecom users have received refunds from mobile network operators (MNOs). This follows orders from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at fixing the poor service many users faced. The NCC shared this news on Tuesday.

The NCC made this announcement after the 109th meeting of its governing board. During the meeting, board members looked at how well the measures to improve service delivery in the telecom sector are working.

In March, the NCC ordered MNOs to compensate users who suffered from poor service in areas where the quality did not meet standards.

“The board noted substantial progress in implementing the commission’s directive,” the NCC said. “This has led to compensation being offered to over 75 million affected subscribers.”

This news comes as complaints from telecom users keep rising. Many users are still dealing with dropped calls, slow internet, and poor voice quality across Nigeria.

The NCC encouraged consumers to keep in touch with the commission as it works to improve service quality and protect users’ rights.

The commission also pointed out that Co-location and Infrastructure Sharing Licensees (TowerCos) have only partly followed the directive. They are supposed to fund escrow accounts with the full amount of regulatory fines for infrastructure upgrades.

“While noting the progress made to date, the board emphasised the importance of full compliance,” the NCC said, “to ensure that the intended infrastructure improvements are realised sustainably.”

Infrastructure growth

The NCC also noted that MNOs are making efforts to improve network coverage and quality across Nigeria. The commission stated that mobile operators plan to set up over 12,000 new coverage and capacity sites to enhance user experience. More than 5,000 of these sites are already finished, showing over 40 percent completion.

The board highlighted ongoing investments in telecom infrastructure. Fibre connectivity has been extended to over 700 sites to boost network strength and reliability.

Infrastructure providers are also adding new equipment to over 2,000 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to support network growth and improve service quality.

Despite these efforts, the NCC expressed worry over the ongoing vandalism of telecom infrastructure. This is a significant problem for the growth of the industry.

The commission noted that security agencies are working to protect telecom facilities that are crucial for national information.