Telecoms: The quest for accountability

The recent financial milestone achieved by MTN Nigeria, which has officially overtaken its South African counterpart to become the group’s most profitable subsidiary, is a testament to the sheer scale and resilience of the Nigerian market.

It confirms that despite macroeconomic headwinds, the telecommunications sector remains a goldmine of soaring revenues and immense value. However, this record-breaking profitability stands in stark contrast to a persistent, frustrating conundrum, the stagnation of service quality and the perceived vanishing act of consumer data.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently took a commendable step forward by unveiling a landmark compensation scheme. This policy, which mandates that operators compensate consumers for dropped calls and service outages, is a long-overdue recognition of the lopsided relationship between service providers and their subscribers. While this framework is a welcome shift toward consumer protection, it must not be viewed as the finish line. Compensation is a reactive measure, what Nigerians truly demand is a proactive commitment to quality.

Perhaps the most contentious issue in the industry today is the fast depletion of data. For years, the average subscriber has lamented the speed at which their data bundles disappear, often feeling like a victim of a digital heist. To date, the response from telecom operators has been largely patronizing.

Consumers are frequently met with rehearsed explanations about the high data demands of 4K streaming, auto-updates, and social media algorithms. While these scenarios are technically possible, they fail to account for the systemic lack of transparency in data billing.

Explanations are no longer enough. The why of data depletion must be backed by accessible, real-time auditing tools provided by the operators, allowing consumers to track every kilobyte spent.

Furthermore, the NCC must move beyond the role of a mediator and act as a rigorous auditor. If technical investigations reveal that operators are using predatory billing cycles or stealing data through hidden background processes, the punishment must be more than a slap on the wrist.

True accountability requires a regime of heavy fines and visible sanctions. When a company reports billions in profit while its customers complain of being cheated, the regulator must intervene to ensure that those profits are not being built on the foundation of consumer exploitation.

Nigeria is open for business, but it is no longer open for service delivery that treats the consumer as a mere revenue point rather than a valued partner.
The landmark compensation scheme is a good start, but the ultimate goal is a telecom ecosystem where compensation is rarely necessary because the service actually works. It is time for the NCC to bridge the gap between corporate earnings and consumer satisfaction through uncompromising oversight and the courage to sanction erring giants.