Dr Aminu Maida NCC EVC/CEO
NCC reaffirms directive on subscriber compensation for poor service, announces 12,000 base station upgrades in 2026
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its directive mandating telecom service providers to compensate subscribers for poor service quality.
The commission also announced that telecom operators will upgrade 12,000 base stations in 2026 to enhance service delivery.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this during a breakfast meeting with the media on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Lagos.
He stated that the commission is closely monitoring network performance indicators—including data speed and latency—to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Maida noted that the planned infrastructure expansion marks a significant step toward addressing persistent challenges in network quality and capacity across Nigeria.
He observed that while the industry made only limited progress in 2025, with just over 300 base station upgrades recorded, that situation contributed to service pressure amid rising data demand.
According to Maida, the sector has already gained improved momentum in 2026, with approximately 2,800 base station upgrades completed within the first part of the year.
He explained that the upgrades include expanding existing site capacity, deploying new infrastructure, and converting legacy 2G and 3G sites to 4G and 5G technologies.
In Maida’s words: “These upgrades cover additional spectrum for 4G sites and the conversion of older networks to more advanced technologies.
The commission also supported operators through spectrum reallocation, which allowed better utilisation of previously underused frequency bands. Spectrum is the highway of telecommunication .”
He added that increased spectrum availability directly improves network capacity and data performance, and that recent spectrum trading in the sector has contributed to improved data speeds in parts of the country.
The EVC cautioned that improvements in service quality may not immediately translate into perceived user experience due to rapidly increasing data consumption. He noted that digital platforms and changing user behaviour often lead to higher demand, which can place renewed pressure on upgraded networks.
Maida said: “When service improves, usage increases. This often leads to congestion returning faster than expected if capacity is not continuously expanded.”
He also emphasized that sustained investment in fibre infrastructure remains critical for achieving long-term, affordable, high-quality internet access, adding that fibre deployment is the most viable solution for delivering large-scale, unlimited connectivity to homes, schools, and public spaces.
On consumer protection, Maida stated that the NCC has introduced a compensation framework to address service shortfalls experienced by subscribers. He stressed that affected users will receive airtime credits based on quality-of-service assessments conducted at the local government level.
According to Maida: “We have moved monitoring from the state level to the local government level to better reflect the real experience of subscribers.
The compensation covers service performance between November 2025 and January 2026, with subsequent periods to be processed after validation. Subscribers will receive notifications once the rollout begins, following completion of verification processes.”
Maida clarified that the compensation is a regulatory penalty on operators, not a refund, for failing to meet defined service quality benchmarks. He added that independent verification mechanisms have been introduced to ensure transparency and accountability in the process.
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