MTN Announces Airtime Compensation for 3 Months Over Network Disruptions
- MTN Nigeria has promised to compensate affected subscribers with airtime for network disruptions
- The move followed a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission to compensate users
- It is expected that other network providers will follow suit and obey the new directive from NCC
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MTN Nigeria has announced plans to compensate subscribers affected by poor network quality with airtime credits, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The telecom operator disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, April 22.
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MTN message reads:
"At MTN Nigeria, our customers are the lifeblood of our business. We exist to connect Nigerians to the digital world, and we believe that every subscriber deserves a reliable, high-quality network experience.
“All consumers within the affected areas where service shortfalls were recorded will receive compensation for the operating periods of November, December, and January, in accordance with the applicable framework."
While the company did not specify when the compensation would commence, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said at a media briefing that affected subscribers would begin receiving the compensation from Friday, April 24.
The NCC also clarified that the compensation would be issued form of airtime by poor service quality.
Why the compensation
MTN said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to improve customer experience and rebuild trust, adding that it would continue to invest heavily in network infrastructure to reduce disruptions.
The company also outlined plans for accelerated infrastructure upgrades, improved network resilience, and closer collaboration with tower providers to meet rising demand for voice and data services, Vangaurd reports.
It cited external challenges affecting service quality, including frequent fibre cuts and other third-party disruptions, noting that many of these issues are beyond its direct control.
The company said:
“We remain steadfast and fully committed to working closely with our tower providers, NCC and other stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies."
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MTN obeys the NCC directive
The directive follows an earlier announcement by the NCC, which said operators must compensate subscribers in areas where network performance falls below prescribed standards.
The regulator said the move is part of efforts to place consumers at the centre of Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem.
The commission noted that poor service quality undermines productivity, disrupts commercial activities, and erodes public confidence in communications systems.
The new compensation policy represents a departure from the regulator’s previous approach, which largely focused on imposing fines on operators that failed to meet key performance indicators, without direct relief for affected subscribers.
MTN halts credit service
Legit.ng earlier reported that MTN Nigeria clarified why it temporarily halted its airtime and data lending service, Xtratime.
In a filing with the Nigerian Exchange Limited, the company stated that the move follows new regulatory guidelines governingis digital lending operations in the country.
According to MTN, the suspension is aimed at ensuring compliance with the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, issued by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Source: Legit.ng
