Airtel Nigeria has commenced the second phase of its automatic airtime compensation programme for customers affected by prolonged or repeated network service disruptions, following directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The latest compensation covers eligible network failures recorded between February and April 2026, with affected subscribers receiving airtime credits directly on their lines. According to Telecompaper, the payments range from less than N50 to N1,500, depending on individual usage and network conditions in affected locations. Subscribers are also being notified through SMS when the credits are applied.
The latest exercise follows Airtel’s first compensation round in May, which covered qualifying service disruptions between November 2025 and January 2026.
The compensation programme is part of a new consumer-redress framework introduced by the NCC to address poor telecommunications services. Under the framework, mobile network operators are required to automatically compensate customers when they fail to meet prescribed quality-of-service standards in affected Local Government Areas.
The NCC said eligible subscribers do not need to submit individual complaints to receive compensation. Operators are expected to identify affected customers using network performance and billing records.
Eligibility depends on whether a subscriber experienced qualifying poor service in an affected LGA and made at least one revenue-generating activity, such as a billed call, SMS or data session, during the relevant period. The framework covers voice, data and SMS services and applies to both individual and corporate customers.
Compensation is provided as unrestricted airtime credit, which subscribers can use for calls, SMS, data subscriptions and USSD services. The NCC said the amount is determined by factors including the subscriber’s billed usage during the affected period and the operator’s quality-of-service performance in the relevant location.
Airtel’s second payout signals the continuing implementation of the NCC’s consumer-protection framework, which took effect in April 2026.
The initiative represents a shift toward direct compensation for telecom users affected by verified service failures, while placing greater responsibility on operators to maintain required network quality standards.
Airtel Begins Second Phase of Compensation for Poor Network Service
