Why you can't borrow airtime anymore: A masterclass in 'Quiet Power' of law by Obidigwe Emeka Friday - WeekendCommentary@ITREALMS

WeekendCommentary@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

​If you have recently dialed *303# (MTN/Glo) or *500# (Airtel) only to be met with a cold "Service Unavailable" or "ExtraTime not available," you are not experiencing a network glitch. You are experiencing the law.

​Across Nigeria, millions of subscribers have suddenly lost access to the familiar airtime and data borrowing services that once felt like a "lifeline" during financial dry spells. There was no prior announcement, just a sudden, systemic pause.

NCC, CBN unveil new framework: 30-Second refunds mandated for failed airtime transactions - ITREALMS

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In a decisive move to protect digital consumers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have jointly unveiled a regulatory framework mandating that subscribers receive refunds for failed airtime and data transactions within 30 seconds, reports ITREALMS.

This major policy shift aligns with the consumer-focused objectives of both regulators and aims to eliminate the frustration of "debit without value," where subscribers are charged for services they never receive due to network downtimes, system glitches, or human error.

The new framework, 

ITREALMS gathered, is the outcome of several months of high-level engagements involving the NCC, the CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).

These stakeholders convened to address the rising incidence of failed airtime and data purchases, which have increasingly led to subscribers being debited without receiving value and facing prolonged delays in resolution.

Representing a unified position by both the telecommunications and financial sectors, the framework identifies and tackles the root causes of transaction failures.

It prescribes an enforceable Service Level Agreement (SLA) for operators and banks, clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of each party in the transaction and resolution process.

Under the strict new guidelines, if a purchaser is debited but fails to receive value for airtime or data, whether the failure occurs at the bank level or with an NCC licensee, the purchaser is entitled to a refund within 30 seconds.

The only exception applies to circumstances where the transaction remains pending, in which case the refund process must be concluded within 24 hours.

Furthermore, the framework mandates operators to notify consumers via SMS regarding the success or failure of every transaction.

It also addresses erroneous recharges to ported lines, incorrect airtime or data purchases, and instances where transfers are made 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 establishes a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN.

She explained that the dashboard will enable both regulators to monitor failures, identify the responsible party, verify refunds, and track SLA breaches in real time.

Mrs. Bruce-Bennett noted that failed top-ups rank among the top three consumer complaints received by the Commission.

She emphasized that in line with their commitment to addressing priority issues, the regulators were determined to resolve the problem within the shortest possible time.

She expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, particularly the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria, for their tireless commitment to finalizing the framework and ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services receive full value for their purchases.

Highlighting the immediate impact of the initiative, Mrs. Bruce-Bennett revealed that even pending the final management approval of the framework, MNOs and banks have collectively made refunds of over N10 billion to customers for failed transactions.

According to the Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, full implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026.


This timeline allows for final regulatory approvals and the conclusion of technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers, and DMBs.

S Mobile eases data, airtime subscription for Nigerian students, dangles free phones, websites - ITREALMS

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Aligned with the vision of MTN Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusion, S Mobile is making significant strides to support technological advancement and improve access to digital services in Nigeria.

By partnering with tertiary institutions and empowering young minds across Southeast Nigeria, S Mobile is playing a pivotal role in MTN’s Ambition 2025 - a corporate initiative centered on creating a human-centric, tech-driven future for Nigeria.

Unlocking digital inclusion: S.Mobile, MTN Nigeria partner for MoMo PSB, data bundles, airtime - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

In a move that promises to revolutionize access to digital services and financial inclusion for millions of Nigerians, S.Mobile has joined forces with MTN Nigeria. This strategic partnership focuses on the distribution of MTN's MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) and data bundles, offering a seamless gateway to financial services and connectivity.

The collaboration brings together two industry leaders with unique strengths. MTN Nigeria, the country's largest telecom provider, boasts an extensive network and deep understanding of the Nigerian market. 

Konga, Apple deal: Shoppers get 2-year warranty, free airtime - ITREALMS

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Couetesy of the latest deal between ecommerce leader Konga and world-renowned technology company, Apple, shoppers in Nigeria are now able to buy original mobile and computing devices online as well as win free airtime on purchases, reports ITREALMS.

With the coming together of both technology giants, authentic products from Apple such as the iPhone, Mac, iWatch among other exciting accessories are readily available for purchase directly from the Konga online store at the click of a button.

Zenith unveils *966# Fridays with triple-free airtime

ITRealms:

Leading financial institution in Nigeria, Zenith Bank plc, has concluded plans to unveil a new campaign tagged ‘966# Fridays’ to reward some 966 customers with airtime, reports ITRealms.

According to a press statement from the bank made available to ITRealms, informed that with this campaign, some 966 people would enjoy triple value on airtime purchases made every Friday.

“This means that buying N1000 airtime gets you a whopping N3,000 airtime!,” the bank official explained, stressing that “simply recharge your phone with *996# between the hours of 6:00am and 9:00am on any Friday; within this period and you could be one of the lucky 966.”

By dialing *966*amount*mobilenumber# from the mobile number registered with the bank, Zenith pointed out that customers will be rewarded

ITRealms gathered that for those who want to join the campaign, they should dial *966*0# to open an account instantly, but cautioning that they will also be required to visit any branch of Zenith Bank to complete the process.

The bank also said that the maximum airtime purchase eligible for the reward is N1,000 and below, even as customers could only win once every Friday during the period of the promo.

“When buying airtime for others, only the phone number receiving the credit may qualify for the promo,” official told ITRealms.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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