CBN, NCC on the Rescue of Hapless Customers
…Roots for instant Refunds for Failed Airtime, Data
For millions of Nigerians who rely on mobile services daily, few things are more frustrating than losing money to failed airtime or data purchases without knowing how to get a refund. Now, a new joint initiative by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission aims to change that narrative by introducing strict timelines, automated reversals, and stronger consumer protections. Senior Correspondent, Patience Ikpeme reports
It’s nerve wracking, the most annoying thing to an average phone user. You bought an air time only to discover it had failed. It could be a data load glitch at other times. Cases of failed airtime or failed data load abound. Customers are served with the short – end of stick with no clue on how to seek a redress.
Happily, the troubling dilemma is being resolved, courtesy of the National Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission have proposed that customers must receive refunds within 30 seconds for failed airtime and data purchases to curb persistent billing complaints in the telecommunications sector. The new rescue measure is contained in the exposure draft of the Joint CBN–NCC framework for resolution of failed airtime and data purchase transactions, which was published on the website of the CBN .
The landmark exposure draft, dated 5 February 2026, seeks to “institutionalise clear accountability” and establish a “coordinated approach to consumer redress” across the financial and telecommunications sectors.
The most significant shift in the proposed framework is the introduction of standardised, automated timelines for resolving failed transactions. Currently, Nigerians often face long delays when airtime purchases fail at the bank, aggregator, or Mobile Network Operator (MNO) level.
To solve this, the regulators have proposed a 30-second window for automated reversals. Section 6.0 (ii) of the draft exposure, which dwelt on failed transactions, especially as it relates to unfulfilled airtime/data delivery, proposes a time to refund the purchaser of 30 seconds “if the transaction failed at the bank level. Failed transaction delivery from NCC Authorised Licensees. Failed transaction delivery from MNO to the NCC Authorised Licensee.”
The draft emphasised that stakeholders must “automate reversal processes across all stakeholders” to ensure that refunds require no human intervention from the customer. The draft exposure also stated that “all parties involved in airtime and data transactions shall take the following actions to ease usage and facilitate consumer satisfaction: a. Stakeholders must immediately connect ONLY to relevant authorised licensees of the NCC and CBN. b. MNOs and banks must only connect to NCC Authorised Licensees/MNO digital channel partners for airtime and data vending… Notifications of failure create final settlement obligations between MNO and NCC-authorised licensees… The NCC and CBN will audit stakeholder compliance jointly or individually at quarterly or other intervals as may be determined.”
From a business and oversight perspective, the regulators are proposing a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be hosted jointly by the CBN and NCC, which will track reversals, Service Level Agreement (SLA) breaches, and customer complaints in real-time. “There shall be a Central Monitoring Dashboard hosted by CBN/NCC for tracking reversals, SLA breaches, and customer complaints. This will facilitate the establishment of a real-time national ‘Failed Transactions Dashboard’ with a uniform error code with end-to-end visibility across the value chain’, read the draft exposure.
This is designed to eliminate the “unclear ownership of liability” that often occurs when banks and telcos blame each other for failed recharges. To support this, banks and MNOs will be required to maintain and share daily reports of successful and failed cases.
The proposed framework also addresses the common problem of “lost” money when customers recharge ported phone numbers. The draft mandates that MNOs must validate a phone number against the ported number database before processing any recharge. If the system identifies a number as ported out or invalid, it must “proactively stop recharges” and send a failure code back to the bank to ensure the customer is not debited.
For erroneous recharges sent to the wrong person, the framework sets clear protocols: below N20,000, MNOs will request the recipient’s consent before a reversal, and when it is above N20,000, an affidavit of indemnity or notarised letter is required to process the recovery.
The CBN and NCC in the exposure draft signalled they will take a firm stance on compliance. Both agencies will conduct joint quarterly audits of all stakeholders, including banks, payment service providers, and MNOs, to verify compliance with the new rules. The regulators have warned they will “impose penalties for any breach” of the framework’s provisions.
Banks and other financial institutions have until 10 February 2026 to submit their inputs on the draft before it is finalised. Once implemented, the framework is expected to significantly restore “subscriber trust” in Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.
The proposal has elicited applause, stakeholders’ endorsements
The consumer rights groups and subscribers, have praised the collaboration between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to implement a new framework for automatic, rapid refunds on failed airtime and data transactions.
The Consumer groups, such as the Centre for Digital Justice and Consumer Rights (CDJCR), described the initiative as a “long-overdue” reform that will restore public trust in Nigeria’s digital payment system. Furthermore, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) commended the NCC for its consumer-centric approach and the swift intervention, which aligns with global best practices
The initiative, designed to address the high volume of complaints regarding debits without service delivery, mandates a 30-second refund window for failed transactions, significantly improving consumer protection in the digital payment ecosystem. Under the new framework, if a consumer is debited for airtime or data but does not receive the service, a refund must be made within 30 seconds. For pending transactions, the maximum reversal time is 24 hours.
Enforceable SLA: The framework introduces a binding Service Level Agreement (SLA) for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), ensuring clear accountability for transaction failures.
Central Monitoring Dashboard: The NCC and CBN will jointly host a monitoring dashboard to track failed transactions, refunds, and SLA breaches in real-time.
Over ₦10 Billion Already Refunded: Ahead of the official implementation, over ₦10 billion has already been refunded to customers for failed transactions, a move highlighted as a sign of commitment to consumer welfare.
Implementation Date: The framework is expected to take effect on March 1, 2026, following final approvals and technical integration.
SMS Notifications: Operators are now mandated to notify consumers via SMS regarding the success or failure of every transaction.
Addressing Wrong Transactions: The policy covers issues such as erroneous recharges to ported lines and incorrect data/airtime purchases.
Speaking on the development, the Director of Consumer Affairs at the NCC, Freda Bruce-Bennett, said the framework responds directly to one of the most frequent complaints received by the commission.
She disclosed that the framework also provides for the creation of a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN. According to her, the platform will enable both regulators to monitor transaction failures, identify the responsible party, track refunds and observe breaches of agreed service levels in real time.
Bruce-Bennett acknowledged the contributions of stakeholders involved in developing the framework, noting the role of the financial sector regulator in driving the process.
“We are grateful to all stakeholders, particularly the CBN and its leadership, for their tireless commitment to resolving this issue and arriving at this framework, and for ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services receive full value for their purchases,” she said.
She added that, pending final approval by the management of both regulators, Mobile Network Operators and banks have already refunded over N10 billion to customers affected by failed transactions.
Implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026, once approvals are secured and technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers and DMBs is completed.
