The Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC) has announced plans to deploy independent audit professionals to assess the level of adherence by telecom operators to consumer protection directives, particularly with regards to compensation for poor-quality service.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, who announced this at a media engagement session of 2026 held in Abuja, said that move is aimed at tightening regulatory oversight and improving service delivery standards.
Maida noted that the initiative is designed to ensure full enforcement of rules that were recently formulated that require operators to compensate subscribers affected by poor voice and data services.
In the words of Maida; “We will be bringing in external verification experts to confirm that service providers are complying with the established guidelines.
“There is a significant decline in customer complaints relating to network quality dropping from 351,000 to 75,000 following the 2025 tariff review,” he said.
The NCC EVC urged subscribers to make use of the Commission’s dedicated toll-free channels—300 and 622—to report service challenges, in addition to the Commission’s online portal for guidance on common service-related issues.
Maida emphasised that the NCC’s actions are grounded in openness and accountability, adding that the operators have been issued clear policy instructions to guide compliance.
Commenting on infrastructure protection, the NCC EVC said that the synergy and cooperation between the Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is yielding positive results with significant reduction in fiber optic cable damage at construction zones across parts of the country.
Maida said that there is ongoing expansion of the fifth-generation (5G) network infrastructure in major cities as part of efforts to optimize unused spectrum resources in addition to a comprehensive review of the National Telecoms Policy is currently underway.
He acknowledged that sector performance still falls short of expectations, adding however, that steady progress is being made.
Maida said that other ongoing initiatives include the resolution of outstanding USSD-related debts, implementation of a 24-month compliance timeline for new corporate governance standards for operators, and collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to advance digital financial access while curbing electronic fraud.
While addressing concerns over some harmful online contents, Maida said the NCC is working assiduously with relevant government agencies to develop appropriate intervention mechanisms.
In her introductory remarks, Mrs Nnena Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs of the NCC, said the Media Stakeholders engagement is part of sustained platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and media partnership with the aim to strengthen resilience and long-term stability in the telecommunications industry.
