The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are set to introduce a regulation requiring mobile networks, banks, and other merchants to suspend airtime and data purchases during prolonged network outages. The draft framework aims to address the persistent issue of failed transactions and restore consumer trust in Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.
Automatic Suspension After Technical Glitches
According to the joint draft framework, all affected parties must halt airtime and data purchases after a network glitch lasting more than 10 minutes. Subscribers are to be immediately notified of any downtime, ensuring transparency and reducing confusion during service disruptions.
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and banks are required to inform merchants, payment service providers, and intermediaries within 30 minutes of the downtime, prompting them to block all airtime and data transactions until the service is restored.
Transaction Reversals Within 30 Minutes
The proposed regulation mandates automatic reversal of failed transactions within 30 minutes. The rule applies to banks, MNOs, merchants, and other intermediaries. Reversals must follow established protocols to prevent repeated charges or delayed refunds.
The measure is designed to reduce the daily complaints of failed recharges, which remain a significant source of frustration for millions of Nigerian telecom subscribers.
Minimal Service Disruption Threshold
For MNOs, the framework introduces a 5% threshold for service disruption. Outages exceeding this limit may indicate substandard service, prompting regulators to take action.
The Central Monitoring Dashboard, proposed under the framework, will be jointly hosted by the NCC and CBN. This system will track transaction failures in real-time, monitor compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and ensure refunds and reversals are processed as required.
Boosting Consumer Confidence
Failed airtime and data recharges are among the most common complaints in Nigeria’s telecom sector. In January 2026, NCC disclosed that MNOs and banks refunded over ₦10 billion for failed transactions. The new rule aims to strengthen transparency, enforce accountability, and restore subscriber confidence in digital recharge systems.
Widespread Impact of Failed Transactions
With over 170 million telecom subscribers in Nigeria, one in three users reportedly experiences failed airtime or data recharges. These failures often result in financial losses, multiple debits, and delayed service, highlighting structural weaknesses in electronic recharge systems.
The NCC-CBN framework seeks to tackle these challenges by introducing real-time monitoring, standardized reversal protocols, and clear communication channels, making Nigeria’s digital recharge ecosystem more reliable and user-friendly.
