Due to unsuccessful airtime and data payments, millions of Nigerians lose money every day, but brave action is finally being taken.
Together, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have developed a framework that holds banks, payment processors, and telecom carriers accountable to address this enduring issue. To restore confidence in Nigeria’s digital payment industry, this new collaboration will help consumers receive speedy redress for failed or incomplete electronic transactions.
A unified framework to end payment failures
The initiative, announced recently, directly addresses the long-standing issue where users pay for airtime or data but do not receive the services, nor timely refunds. Dr Kenechukwu Opara, Executive Director of the Centre for Digital Justice and Consumer Rights, called the move overdue and necessary.
“For far too long, consumers have borne the brunt of system failures that are neither their fault nor within their control,” he said.
The framework holds all parties accountable, promising to end what Opara described as “a culture of impunity and neglect” in digital transaction failures across the telecom sector.
Protecting millions of telecom subscribers
This partnership emphasises consumer protection, with the NCC under Executive Vice Chairman Dr Aminu Maida showing strong leadership commitment. The regulatory bodies aim to reduce disruptions in airtime and data purchases, which affect millions of subscribers nationwide.
A consumer rights group praised the measure and called for tight enforcement to prevent repeat problems with unsuccessful transactions. With unambiguous service-level agreements (SLAs) from telecom carriers and banks, failed transaction complaints are resolved faster.
This collaboration signals a significant step towards safer, more reliable mobile payments in Nigeria’s growing digital economy, addressing one of the most frequent complaints from telecom users.