“Subscribers Should Not Pay For Services Not Delivered” — Senate Orders NCC Probe Of Failed-Call Airtime Deductions

The Senate has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission to investigate the billing practices of mobile network operators following complaints of airtime deductions arising from failed, interrupted and dropped calls.

The upper chamber also urged the regulator to introduce measures requiring operators to automatically reverse or refund airtime deducted from verifiably failed calls and qualifying network-related service interruptions.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Senator Tahir Mungonu during plenary.

They also cited abrupt disconnections, inaudible conversations and other network interruptions as factors that further increase the financial burden on consumers.

It expressed particular concern about the impact on low-income earners, traders, students and small business operators who spend portions of their income on airtime.

The Senate further urged the NCC to strengthen enforcement of Quality-of-Service standards and impose appropriate sanctions on operators whose persistent network deficiencies violate regulatory requirements.

The NCC was equally directed to report to the Senate within four weeks on the outcome of its investigation and the measures proposed to address the complaints.

The Senate recalled that the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, empowers the NCC to regulate the telecommunications industry, protect consumers and enforce acceptable standards of service delivery.

Meanwhile, the Senate also passed the National Senior Secondary Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, for third reading.

The Executive Bill seeks to address gaps identified in the implementation of the existing law and strengthen the regulation and coordination of public senior secondary education across the country.

Presenting the report of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), Senator Orji Kalu said the proposed amendments were designed to strengthen the governance of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission, improve coordination between the federal and state governments, promote accountability and ensure effective implementation of national education policies.

Kalu, who presented the report on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Usman Adamu, said the bill was referred to the committee after its consideration by the Senate on October 28.

He explained that although the Commission was established under the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act No. 45, 2023, experience in implementing the legislation had revealed areas requiring legislative intervention.

“The proposed amendments are therefore intended to address these challenges and make the Act more effective in achieving its objective,” he said.

Kalu disclosed that the House of Representatives had also considered the bill and referred it to its Committee on Basic Education and Services, necessitating joint stakeholders’ engagement and clause-by-clause consultation to ensure uniformity in the legislative process.

Following the presentation, the Senate dissolved into the Committee of the Whole, considered the report clause by clause and adopted the committee’s recommendations before passing the bill for a third reading.

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