… Regulator unveils public coverage maps to empower subscribers against service failures
Written By Rashidat O. Okunlade | Lagos
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, themed “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.
‘People Want Their Phones to Work’
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.
“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,” he said.
Highlighting the real-world impact of poor service, Maida added:
“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.”
6,500 Network Interventions and Consumer Compensation
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.
Reinforcing the Commission’s consumer-centred regulatory approach, he revealed that approximately 75 million subscribers have benefited from airtime compensation under the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026.
“We will continue to hold operators accountable for the quality of service they provide,” he assured.
Empowering Consumers Through Data
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.
The Threat of Infrastructure Vandalism
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.
‘Every Voice Heard, No One Ignored’
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.
Makama outlined three core expectations for 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.”
Why It Matters
The 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament serves as a crucial barometer for the state of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, an industry that underpins the nation’s digital economy but frequently falls short on basic service delivery.
Dr. Maida’s acknowledgment that regulation must be judged by the “difference it makes to your experience” is a refreshing shift from bureaucratic rhetoric to consumer-centric accountability. The figure of 75 million subscribers receiving airtime compensation in 2026 is staggering. While it demonstrates that the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework is actively working to refund Nigerians for poor service, it simultaneously highlights the sheer scale of network inefficiencies that necessitate such mass compensation in the first place.
The 6,500 network interventions are equally telling. They represent significant capital expenditure by telecom operators, yet the persistent complaints about dropped calls and slow data suggest that infrastructure deployment is struggling to keep pace with the explosion of digital consumption.
Furthermore, the EVC’s emphasis on the NCC’s coverage maps is a significant step toward empowering consumers. In a market often dominated by marketing hype, crowdsourced performance data allows Nigerians to make decisions based on empirical evidence rather than advertisements.
However, the regulator cannot do it alone. The persistent issue of vandalism fibre cuts and theft remains a critical threat to national security and economic stability. As Makama noted, “Every Voice Heard, No One Ignored” must become the standard. Until operators prioritize quality of service over aggressive subscriber acquisition, and until communities actively protect telecom infrastructure, the fight for a seamless digital experience will remain an uphill battle.
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