Airtel credits customers affected by poor network between Feb and Apr 2026

Airtel Nigeria has started crediting customers with airtime compensation for poor network service experienced between February and April 2026.

Affected customers started receiving SMS notifications of the airtime credit on Wednesday night. However, the compensation varies from less than ₦50 to as high as ₦1,500. 

“In line with NCC Directive, your account has been credited with ₦xxxx airtime for network failure(s) in Feb to Apr 2026. Thank you,” the Airtel message reads. 

The development comes amid the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) directive that telecom operators should compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or repeated poor network service in qualifying areas. The move marked a strategic shift from fines to direct subscriber redress. 

According to the commission, the compensation will be calculated based on how much subscribers usually spend and whether they are located in areas affected by service failures and poor network quality. Qualifying subscribers who received the airtime can use the credit for SMS, voice, and data services, and it’s not expected to expire, per regulatory directives.  

This isn’t the first time Airtel has rolled out airtime compensation. In May, Airtel compensated customers affected by poor network service between November 2025 and January 2026, marking the first time such an intervention has come to light. 

With Airtel leading the compliance this time, it’s unclear whether all qualifying customers have received the airtime credit. Other MNOs such as MTN, Globacom and T2mobile (9mobile) are also expected to credit affected customers. 

Also read: Airtel Money set for London IPO, seeks $800 million raise.

Airtel, MTN, others: Doubts on airtime compensation 

The intervention comes amid several complaints over network outages leading to a drop in voice calls and poor quality of experience. While the airtime compensation is a landmark victory for Nigerian subscribers at being shortchanged owing to bad network, some of its key modalities remain unclear. 

For instance, neither NCC nor mobile network operators have stated the methodology used to arrive at the airtime compensation figures, creating doubts that customers might be receiving airtime credit less than the poor network experienced.

Another is how the network outages and dropped calls are being measured. The calculations still suggest that both NCC and telecom operators are playing hide-and-seek with Nigerians. 

The commission has only made an attempt to investigate the airtime compensation once. In June, the regulator made a move to review whether eligible telecom subscribers received the airtime compensation they were meant to receive. This comes after MNOs said they compensated 75 million Nigerians between November and January 2026.

However, five months later, the NCC is yet to release the report of that investigation.

In an explanation contained on its website, which was released in early 2026, NCC explained that operators have previously been mandated to monitor their network performance across various service disruptions against Quality of Service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

It pointed out that the strategy enables them to identify affected subscribers without the need for individual complaints, adding that the compensation is automatic. 

NCC noted that airtime compensation is for customers who experienced a drop in network services, but eligibility will depend on specific technical criteria. A subscriber qualifies for compensation only if they experienced poor network service in an affected Local Government Area.

In addition, the subscriber must have made at least one outgoing revenue-generating event (billed call, SMS, or data session) during the period under review.