NCC orders telecom operators to notify Nigerians of service outages

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a fresh directive requiring all licensed telecom operators in the country to promptly notify consumers of major service outages on their networks.

According to the new mandate, telecom companies are expected to clearly inform subscribers about the cause of service disruptions, the affected locations, and the estimated time for restoration, using available media channels. The Commission explained that this move is aimed at keeping consumers properly informed and managing expectations during periods of network downtime.

In situations where planned service interruptions are necessary, the NCC has directed operators to issue notifications to customers at least seven days ahead.

This latest development, outlined in the Directive on Reportage of Major Network Outages by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), forms part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to improve service delivery, speed up the resolution of outages, and enhance consumers’ experience.

The NCC further directed that mobile network operators, internet service providers, and other companies offering last-mile services must offer proportional compensation, such as validity extensions, in cases where a major outage persists for over 24 hours — in line with the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.

The Commission outlined three categories of major outages: situations where operational issues like fiber cuts, vandalism, or theft affect five percent of a network’s subscribers or five or more local government areas; any unplanned outage or isolation of 100 or more sites or five percent of total sites lasting beyond 30 minutes; and outages degrading service quality in Nigeria’s top 10 states based on traffic volume.

In addition, telecom operators are now required to report all major outages through the NCC’s Major Outage Reporting Portal, accessible to the public via its website. The portal will also publicly identify those responsible for causing such disruptions.

Speaking on the development, Engr. Edoyemi Ogor, NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, explained that the Commission had tested the reporting system with operators before issuing the directive.

He noted, “By providing consumers and industry stakeholders with timely and transparent information on network outages, we are fostering a culture of accountability and ensuring those who sabotage telecom infrastructure are held responsible.”

Ogor added that the initiative supports the Executive Order recently signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which classifies telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) — crucial to national security, economic growth, and daily life in Nigeria.