"Publish Service Level Agreements for Nigerian Telcos and Banks: Opera Urges NCC and CBN to Address Airtime and Data Transaction Failures"

Table of Content

1. Introduction
2. Call to Action
3. Collaboration Details
4. Consumer Protection
5. Conclusion

The Executive Director of the Centre for Digital Justice and Consumer Rights, Kenechukwu Opara, has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to publish service-level agreement expectations. This transparency would enable consumers to know whom to hold accountable for unsuccessful airtime recharge transactions.

Opara made this request in a statement issued on Monday.

This appeal follows the announcement by the NCC and CBN of a collaborative effort to address issues related to airtime recharge and data subscription purchases on electronic platforms, including banking apps and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD).

In response to the collaboration, Opara praised the NCC and CBN for their proposed framework.

He stated that this initiative represents a long-overdue reform for consumer protection that will help restore public trust in Nigeria’s digital payment ecosystem.

Opara emphasized that the framework aims to ensure accountability among all parties involved in electronic transactions, marking a significant advancement in safeguarding millions of telecom subscribers who frequently lose money due to unresolved or delayed reversals following failed transactions.

He asserted that if the reform is executed, consumers will no longer have to forfeit their hard-earned money because of unsuccessful airtime and data transactions.

“For far too long, consumers have suffered the consequences of system failures that are neither their fault nor under their control. This new collaboration between the NCC and the CBN signifies a decisive effort to eliminate the culture of impunity and negligence that has characterized digital transaction failures in the telecom sector.

“Consumers are not merely users; they are the foundation of the telecom and financial systems. By ensuring that customers receive complete value for every recharge and data purchase, the NCC is not only safeguarding rights but also enhancing trust in Nigeria’s cashless and digital inclusion initiatives,” Opara remarked.

“We urge both regulators to publish the service level expectations for all stakeholders—telecom operators, payment processors, and financial institutions—so that consumers know whom to hold accountable when transactions fail.

“The time for consumers to lose their hard-earned money to failed transactions without recourse should come to an end. The NCC and CBN have instilled renewed hope in Nigerians. Now it is time for the industry to respond with action,” Opara concluded.