The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has outlined a comprehensive plan to improve telecom service delivery in 2026, holding operators accountable for a better consumer experience.
In a document titled “2026: Delivering Better Quality of Experience to the Nigerian Consumer”, signed by Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, the regulator emphasized that operators must invest in network expansion, capacity, and resilience, reduce avoidable outages, strengthen incident response protocols, and maintain transparent communication during disruptions.
Operators are also expected to simplify tariffs, improve customer care, and treat complaints as critical feedback, while complying with corporate governance standards and supporting service sustainability. “Put simply: stronger networks, clearer communication, better customer care, stricter compliance,” Maida said.
To ensure progress, NCC will deepen monitoring of quality of service (QoS), enforce incident reporting, and implement measures to improve availability, particularly in high-traffic areas and black spots. Consumer protection, accurate billing, tariff transparency, and consistent updates during service disruptions remain priorities.
The commission will continue to promote fair competition, prevent anti-competitive practices, support innovation, and operationalize the revised Corporate Governance Code to strengthen board and management accountability.
NCC will also streamline regulatory processes, engage stakeholders through consultations, and support sustainable investment in collaboration with government partners to ease deployment barriers and protect telecom infrastructure. Compliance will be enforced, with proportionate consequences for breaches.
The regulator plans to publish regular industry performance reports, protect Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), and collaborate with security agencies such as the NSCDC to prevent vandalism and disruptions. Partnerships with sub-national governments, including the NGF, will help address right-of-way challenges, accelerate network rollout and strengthen infrastructure protection at state and local levels.
