The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a directive to telecom operators, demanding they provide clear and detailed information to subscribers on how they are being charged for calls and data consumption.
The new rules, outlined in the “Guidance for the Simplification of Tariffs” document, aim to promote transparency, enhance consumer understanding, and foster fair competition among licensees.
The move comes amid growing complaints from subscribers about rapid data depletion and airtime exhaustion. The NCC has instructed telcos to publish detailed tariff information on their websites, including tables showing characteristics of each tariff plan and bundle.
Operators must also provide subscribers with detailed account balance information, including rate per second, rate per megabyte, and validity periods. The NCC has emphasized the need for consumer education and transparency in all communications.
The new rules took effect on July 29, 2024, and operators have been given until December 3 to migrate subscribers to simplified tariff plans.
However, according to the NCC, there are several factors causing data depletion for most subscribers, part of which include background apps and automatic updates on mobile.
Meanwhile, in a move suggesting that the service providers might also be a factor in the data depletion complaints from the subscribers. The NCC has also directed Mobile Network Operators to conduct an independent audit of their billing systems to address data depletion complaints.
