Service Quality Improved After Tariff Hike as Complaints Drop by 80% – NCC
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‎The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says service quality in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has improved since the approval of a 50 per cent tariff increase in January 2025.
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‎According to the Commission, complaints relating to poor service quality dropped sharply from 129,000 recorded in the same period last year to 24,000 this year, representing a decline of over 80 per cent.
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‎The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed this during a media chat held in Abuja on Friday.
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‎Maida acknowledged that service delivery across the industry had not yet reached the Commission’s desired standard, but noted that independent crowd-sourced data indicated noticeable improvements in user experience.
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‎“We are still not where we want to be, but we are beginning to see the right signals,” he said.
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‎He also revealed that data consumption had risen by 70 per cent over the past two years, reflecting increasing demand for digital services.
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‎Despite growing pressure on network infrastructure, Maida said telecom operators invested over $1 billion in the sector last year, while one operator had pledged to match the figure this year.
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‎He added that more than 2,800 new network sites had been deployed by major operators, supported by additional spectrum allocations that boosted network capacity.
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‎Maida said the Commission’s regulatory philosophy remained anchored on transparency and accountability, citing initiatives such as tariff certification, corporate governance guidelines and debt settlement frameworks aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability in the sector.
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‎He noted that collaboration with government stakeholders was already yielding positive outcomes, particularly in the protection of critical national infrastructure.
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‎On cybersecurity, the NCC boss described it as a growing concern, saying the Commission had introduced a framework that sets minimum security standards for telecom operators.
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‎He also addressed smartphone affordability, disclosing that the Commission was working with local assemblers to make cheaper devices available to Nigerians.
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‎“Increasingly, we are seeing more users moving away from 2G and 3G devices, but there is more that can be done to make smartphones affordable,” he said.
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‎Earlier, the Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, described the media engagement as a platform for open and frank discussions on emerging trends in the telecommunications industry.
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‎She stressed the need for sustained collaboration with stakeholders to deepen sector growth.
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‎Similarly, the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Haraya Makama, commended the media for its role in informing Nigerians and holding the industry accountable.
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‎“A well-informed press produces a well-informed public, and that is one of the strongest tools we have for driving real progress in the telecom sector,” she said.
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‎The Commission also urged subscribers experiencing poor service to report complaints through its toll-free number, 622, as part of its consumer protection efforts.