Bosun Tijani Orders NCC to Penalise Telcos for Network Failures Within 90 Days

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to introduce automatic penalties for telecom operators…

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to introduce automatic penalties for telecom operators that fail to meet network performance standards—within 90 days.

The directive marks a decisive shift from Nigeria’s long-standing, discretionary approach to telecom regulation toward a predictable, enforcement-led regime, as consumer frustration with poor network quality reaches a tipping point.

Mounting Pressure on Telecom Operators

Public dissatisfaction with telecom services has intensified. In 2025 alone, MTN recorded 1.62 million customer complaints, driven by dropped calls, slow data speeds, and prolonged outages. Subscribers say these problems have persisted despite repeated regulatory interventions.

“The expectation is clear: Nigerians must experience tangible improvements in the quality, reliability, and value of telecommunications services,” Tijani wrote in a January 8, 2026 letter to the NCC.

“Infrastructure investment enables capacity; regulatory enforcement and accountability must deliver quality,” he added.

A Break From Incremental Regulation

Tijani’s directive makes clear that incremental reform is no longer sufficient. Persistent weaknesses in call quality, data performance, network availability, and complaint resolution timelines, he said, require visible and consistently enforced regulatory action.

The NCC told TechCabal that these concerns are now shaping its 2026 strategy, with renewed focus on turning oversight into measurable improvements in Quality of Experience (QoE).

Inside the 90-Day Enforcement Plan

The Minister outlined a phased, 90-day framework designed to move telecom regulation away from mediation and toward rule-based enforcement.

First 30 Days: Transparency

Within the first month, the NCC must publish quarterly, operator-specific Quality of Service (QoS) scorecards, tracking metrics such as:

Call completion rates

Dropped calls

Actual data speeds versus advertised claims

This expands on the NCC’s Uptime Report portal, launched in May 2025, which requires operators to publicly disclose major network incidents. Despite this, fibre-cut incidents have continued to rise, highlighting the limits of transparency without penalties.

After 60 Days: Automatic Sanctions

From day 60, the NCC is expected to introduce automatic, progressive penalties for repeated service failures—ending its reliance on discretionary enforcement.

This represents a clear departure from past practice, where disputes such as the MTN–Globacom interconnect debt lingered for nearly two years before being resolved through negotiated settlements in January 2024.

At 90 Days: Escalation

Operators with persistent deficiencies will be required to submit formal remediation plans, detailing timelines and investment commitments. Continued non-compliance could lead to tougher sanctions, including restrictions on network expansion approvals or access to regulatory incentives.

At the end of the 90 days, the NCC must publish a comprehensive progress report, comparing baseline service levels with post-enforcement outcomes.

What Automatic Penalties Mean for Telcos

Automatic penalties remove discretion from enforcement. Once an operator breaches predefined performance thresholds, sanctions apply without lengthy investigations or negotiations.

For operators, this means:

Fixed benchmarks for call quality, data speed, and availability

Penalties triggered automatically once thresholds are breached

Escalating sanctions for repeat failures

Public disclosure of compliance and performance data

The intent is to make poor service financially and reputationally costly, while rewarding consistent compliance.

How Nigeria’s Approach Compares Globally
In the EU, national regulators such as Ofcom (UK) and BNetzA (Germany) operate under strict service-quality frameworks. Operators face:

Statutory compensation schemes for service outages

Automatic fines for repeated QoS breaches

Mandatory consumer refunds in some jurisdictions

Penalties are typically linked to consumer harm, not just technical failures, and enforcement is largely rules-based.

India: Financial Penalties and Service Credits

India’s Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) applies a structured penalty system:

Financial penalties for call drops and network failures

Service credits paid directly to affected subscribers

Strict timelines for fault resolution

Operators can face daily fines for unresolved outages, making prolonged failures expensive.

Nigeria: Catching Up on Enforcement

Nigeria’s proposed model mirrors elements of both systems but is notable for what it aims to fix: regulatory delay. By automating sanctions, the NCC is attempting to close the gap between detection and punishment—a weakness that has historically undermined consumer confidence.

Infrastructure Still a Weak Link

The directive also lands amid ongoing efforts to protect telecom infrastructure. In June 2024, telecom assets were designated Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

Despite nationwide mapping of fibre routes, engagement with state governments, and public awareness campaigns, vandalism and accidental fibre cuts remain widespread—underscoring the challenge of translating policy into real-world reliability.

A Turning Point for Nigeria’s Telecom Regulation

If fully implemented, Tijani’s directive could mark a turning point—shifting Nigeria’s telecom sector from negotiated compliance to enforced standards.

For operators, the message is clear: improved tariffs and commercial viability must now be matched by measurable improvements in network quality. For subscribers, the test will be whether enforcement finally delivers what years of promises have not.