The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecom operators across the country to promptly inform consumers whenever there are major service outages affecting their networks. The directive also mandates that consumers be notified in advance—at least one week—when service interruptions are planned.
This move is part of a new regulation titled the Directive on Reportage of Major Network Outages by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). It aims to improve the quality of service for telecom users, ensure transparency, and help Nigerians understand the reasons behind frequent network disruptions.
In addition to real-time reporting, the NCC has also launched a Major Outage Reporting Portal, which is available to the public on its website, [www.ncc.gov.ng](http://www.ncc.gov.ng). The portal not only lists current and past outages but also reveals the causes and identities of parties responsible, especially in cases of vandalism, construction damage, or other forms of infrastructure sabotage.
The NCC’s new rule applies to Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, and any telecom firm providing last-mile connectivity to customers. Under the regulation, any major service outage that lasts more than 24 hours will require affected customers to be compensated. This may include a free extension of validity or other proportional remedies, as provided under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
A “major outage,” according to the NCC, includes the following scenarios:
Any operational issue (such as fibre cuts, theft, vandalism, or natural disasters) that affects 5% or more of an operator’s subscribers or five or more local government areas.
An unplanned outage or total network failure in 100 or more network sites, 5% of total sites (whichever is lower), or one entire cluster, lasting more than 30 minutes.
Any incident that degrades service quality in Nigeria’s top 10 traffic-heavy states.
The Commission believes these rules will drive better accountability in the telecom sector and help protect critical infrastructure. Speaking on the new initiative, Engr. Edoyemi Ogor, NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, said the Commission has been testing the system with operators for months before officially launching it.
“By providing consumers and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry with timely and transparent information on network outages, we are entrenching a culture of accountability,” he said.
Ogor noted that the directive also aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Order that recognises telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). He stressed the importance of protecting these assets, not just for communication but for national security, economic growth, and public safety.
The NCC has urged operators to take the directive seriously and ensure full compliance, warning that failure to do so could attract regulatory sanctions.
