The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial institutions to curb persistent failures in mobile top-ups and related telecommunications services.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja. He said the initiative followed growing complaints from consumers who are often debited without receiving airtime credit.

“The director of consumer affairs with our counterparts in the CBN set up a task force, and there’s now a framework undergoing review to standardize operations around top-ups and recharge,” Maida said.

He noted that the commission has revised its Quality of Service (QoS) guidelines to also hold Tower Companies (TowerCos) accountable, not just mobile network operators.

According to Maida, the NCC will soon launch a public evaluation map to enable subscribers assess service quality across networks. He said the move aligns with the presidential directive designating telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

With over 171 million mobile subscribers and a teledensity of 79.22 percent as of June 2025, Maida stressed the need for continuous service improvement.

On concerns about data depletion, he explained that a forensic audit by KPMG and PwC found no evidence of operators stealing data. Instead, he said, high-definition video streaming, hotspot sharing, and newer devices such as the iPhone 16 accounted for faster data consumption.

“To address confusion in pricing, the NCC has mandated operators to simplify their tariff structures and publish a standard disclosure table. No more ‘buy this, get extra that’. Every operator must disclose call, SMS, and data rates in a uniform table so consumers can compare apples to apples,” Maida added.