Telecom operator MTN Nigeria has started crediting subscribers with airtime as compensation for poor quality of service, in line with a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Checks show that several customers have begun receiving notification messages informing them of the credits. One such message reads: “Dear Customer, your account has been credited with ₦341 airtime for quality of service issues in January 2026. Thank you for your understanding.”
The credits, however, vary across users. While some subscribers reported receiving as low as ₦20 or ₦91, others said they got higher amounts such as ₦284 and ₦341, with a few claiming even larger balances.
“I saw ₦900 in my balance too,” a subscriber said, while another noted, “I checked my balance and saw ₦284. I didn’t expect it.”
It is not immediately clear whether all affected subscribers have been covered or how the varying compensation figures were determined.
The development follows earlier regulatory action by the NCC, which directed mobile network operators to compensate customers in areas where service quality dropped below established standards.
The Commission announced that the compensation regime would commence in April, as part of a broader effort to strengthen consumer protection and enforce compliance with quality-of-service benchmarks.
Under the framework, subscribers who experienced poor voice, data, or SMS services and carried out at least one billable activity during the affected period are eligible for compensation.
The NCC also clarified that the process is automatic, with operators required to identify impacted users and credit them directly, without the need for applications.
The directive came after widespread complaints over poor network performance earlier in the year, which disrupted communication, business activities, and access to digital services.
MTN had earlier indicated its readiness to comply with regulatory requirements while continuing investments in network upgrades to improve service delivery nationwide.
