NCC says 75 million Nigerians have been compensated for poor network service — here’s how to check if you got yours from your network provider

• NCC says telecom operators compensated more than 75 million subscribers for poor network quality.

• Compensation was mainly provided through airtime credits rather than cash payments.

• The directive followed complaints about dropped calls, slow internet, and poor network coverage.

• Subscribers can check for compensation through airtime balances, SMS notifications, and customer care channels.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that telecommunications operators have compensated more than 75 million subscribers for poor network quality following a regulatory directive aimed at addressing widespread complaints about service disruptions across the country.

The compensation exercise followed an NCC directive issued on March 29, 2026, requiring mobile network operators to provide redress to customers affected by network performance that fell below approved Quality of Service standards.

According to the commission, telecom operators reported compliance with the directive, resulting in compensation being provided to over 75 million affected subscribers.

Rather than direct cash payments, the compensation was largely issued in the form of airtime credits. The value of the compensation was determined using customers' average spending patterns and whether they were located in areas where network performance failed to meet regulatory requirements.

The NCC disclosed the development after reviewing reports submitted by operators during its 109th Board Meeting, where the implementation of the compensation directive was discussed.

The regulator said the action became necessary following months of complaints from subscribers over dropped calls, slow internet connections, poor network coverage, inability to complete calls, and frequent service disruptions.

Despite the operators' claims that compensation has been provided, the NCC said it has commenced an independent verification process to ensure that all eligible subscribers were properly captured and compensated.

The commission noted that the verification exercise is intended to confirm the accuracy of the figures submitted by operators and ensure compliance with regulatory directives.

The NCC also revealed that telecom operators are investing in network expansion and quality improvement. According to the commission, more than 12,000 additional coverage and capacity sites are expected to be deployed nationwide, with over 5,000 sites already completed.

Subscribers can check whether they received compensation by:

• Reviewing recent SMS notifications from their network provider.

• Checking for airtime credits added to their accounts in recent weeks.

• Contacting their telecom operator's customer care service.

• Visiting official self-service platforms provided by their network provider.

• Monitoring updates from their telecom operator regarding the NCC compensation directive.

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The NCC encouraged subscribers who believe they were affected by poor service but did not receive compensation to contact their service providers for clarification.

The development comes amid increasing pressure on telecom operators to improve service quality as millions of Nigerians continue to rely on mobile networks for communication, banking, education, and business activities.