The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a new directive compelling telecom operators to disclose major network disruptions and compensate affected consumers publicly.
This move is part of the Commission’s broader strategy to enhance transparency, ensure accountability, and improve consumer protection across Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
According to a statement released by Nnenna Ukoha, Acting Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, operators must notify the public via media platforms when significant outages occur. These notifications must include details such as the cause of the disruption, affected areas, and estimated service restoration time.
Consumers impacted by such outages are entitled to proportional compensation, including extensions of service validity, in line with the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Speaking on the directive, Edoyemi Ogor, NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, noted:
“The Commission has trialled the reporting process and portal with operators for some months now before issuing the directive. By providing consumers and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry with timely and transparent information on network outages, we are entrenching a culture of accountability and transparency.”
Ogor added that planned outages must also be communicated at least one week in advance, reinforcing the Commission’s commitment to proactive engagement and improved quality of service.
The NCC emphasized that the directive aligns with the Executive Order signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which classifies telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). This order underscores the strategic importance of telecom systems to national security, economic stability, and daily life in Nigeria.
Major Outage Criteria Defined
The Commission identifies three categories of major network outages:
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Service interruptions affect 5% or more of an operator’s subscribers or five or more LGAs due to issues like fibre cuts, vandalism, or sabotage.
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Unplanned outages affecting 100+ sites or 5% of total sites, or the loss of a cluster for 30 minutes or more.
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Quality degradation in the top 10 states with the highest traffic volume, as determined periodically by the NCC.
All major outages must be reported through the NCC’s Major Outage Reporting Portal, now live on the Commission’s website. The portal offers public access to data on disruptions, including the specific causes and impacts of each outage.
Impacted Operators
The directive applies to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and all last-mile service providers.
These providers must ensure consumer compensation for any major outage lasting more than 24 hours.
The Commission reiterated that protecting telecom infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted service is essential for building a resilient digital economy.
