By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has threatened to sanction telecom operators over service failures and poor service quality as it intensifies regulatory measures to improve customer experience across the country.
Speaking at the Telecom Consumer Parliament in Lagos, themed “Enhancing Consumer Experience: Strengthening Service Quality and Consumer Protection in Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said effective regulation must translate into tangible improvements in consumers’ daily experiences.
Maida noted that 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 stressed that consumers deserve reliable connectivity, transparent billing and accessible avenues for redress whenever service expectations are not met.
He said the NCC, as the industry regulator, has an obligation to protect consumers by setting clear standards, holding service providers accountable and ensuring fair access to redress.
“We must judge our work by the difference it makes to your experience,” he said.
“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 added.
Speaking on the event’s theme, Maida said it directly reflected the Commission’s responsibility to enhance consumer experience by strengthening service quality and protection in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Highlighting ongoing efforts to improve network performance, Maida disclosed that telecom operators had undertaken more than 6,500 network improvement interventions in 2026. These included capacity expansions, equipment upgrades and the deployment of newer technologies to deliver more reliable voice and data services to Nigerians.
The EVC urged consumers to use the Commission’s public coverage maps and performance-monitoring tools 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 experiences. 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, equipment theft and damage to network facilities continued to disrupt services and negatively affect consumers and businesses.
He emphasised that protecting telecommunications infrastructure was critical to sustaining service availability nationwide.
Reinforcing the Commission’s consumer-centred regulatory approach, Maida revealed that approximately 75 million subscribers had benefited from airtime compensation under the NCC’s Consumer Compensation Framework in 2026. He stressed that the Commission would 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 for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the 95th edition of the Parliament was designed to deepen discussions on 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 highlighted the importance of reliable service, clear billing and effective complaint resolution, stressing that subscribers should understand their data usage, charges and value-added services without confusion or unexpected deductions.
“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,” she said.
