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.
