The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are set to roll out a new refund framework aimed at resolving failed airtime and data transactions that have long frustrated telecom subscribers and bank customers across the country.
This is according to a statement released by the NCC detailing a joint framework developed by both regulators after months of consultations with key stakeholders.
The initiative seeks to ensure faster refunds, clearer accountability, and stronger consumer protection where subscribers are debited without receiving airtime or data.
The framework is the result of sustained engagements involving Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and other industry players, following a surge in complaints linked to failed top-ups during network downtimes, system glitches, or human errors.
Unified regulation
According to the NCC, the framework represents a unified regulatory position between the telecommunications and financial sectors on how failed airtime and data transactions should be handled.
It identifies the root causes of these failures, including cases where customers’ bank accounts are debited without successful service delivery by telecom operators.
A key feature of the framework is the introduction of an enforceable Service Level Agreement (SLA) that clearly defines the responsibilities of MNOs, banks, and other stakeholders throughout the transaction and dispute-resolution process.
Under the new rules, any customer debited without receiving value for airtime or data is entitled to an automatic refund within 30 seconds, except where a transaction remains pending, in which case the refund must be completed within 24 hours.
More details on the framework
The framework also mandates telecom operators and banks to notify consumers via SMS on the success or failure of every airtime or data transaction.
It further addresses recurring issues such as erroneous recharges to ported numbers, incorrect data or airtime purchases, and transactions sent to the wrong phone number.
Speaking on the development, the Director of Consumer Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, disclosed that the framework introduces a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN.
According to her, the dashboard will allow regulators to monitor transaction failures, identify the responsible party, track refunds, and detect SLA breaches in real time.
“Failed top-ups rank among the top three consumer complaints, and in line with our commitment to addressing these priority issues, we were determined to resolve it within the shortest possible time,” she said.
N10 billion already refunded
Mrs. Bruce-Bennett revealed that, pending final approval by the management of both regulators, MNOs and banks have already refunded over N10 billion to customers for failed airtime and data transactions.
She added that full implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026, subject to final regulatory approvals and the completion of technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers, and DMBs.
This development aligns with broader efforts by Nigerian regulators to enhance consumer protection and improve service quality across the telecommunications and financial services sectors, amid increasing digital transactions nationwide.
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