* Demands automated refunds for failed calls, threatens sanctions over poor providers
*Directs regulator to examine MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9mobile, report inside 4 weeks
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday moved to defend hundreds of thousands of Nigerians from unjustified telecommunications fees, demanding automated refunds for failed calls and ordering an investigation into the billing practices of main cellular community operators over persistent complaints of unexplained airtime deductions.
The higher chamber particularly urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to examine MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel Nigeria and 9mobile, set up the extent of deductions arising from failed, dropped and interrupted calls, and introduce measures compelling operators to refund subscribers for providers not successfully delivered.
The Senate additionally directed the telecommunications regulator to strengthen enforcement of quality-of-service requirements and impose acceptable sanctions on operators whose persistent community deficiencies violate regulatory necessities.
The resolutions adopted a movement sponsored by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, throughout plenary on Tuesday, titled: ‘Need to Curb Unjustified Deductions from Subscribers’ Airtime Resulting from Substandard Services Through Robust Consumer Protection.’
The lawmakers expressed concern that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians routinely lose airtime on calls that fail to join, terminate abruptly or undergo community interruptions, forcing subscribers to spend further cash making an attempt to set up profitable communication.
They maintained that Nigerians shouldn’t be made to pay for telecommunications providers that haven’t been successfully delivered, stressing that buying airtime quantities to fee for a service and never merely an try to set up communication.
The Senate noticed that telecommunications providers had change into indispensable to people, companies and establishments, with hundreds of thousands of Nigerians spending substantial quantities on airtime every day to meet their communication wants.
However, it famous that subscribers continuously skilled failed name connections, abrupt disconnections, inaudible conversations and community interruptions, leading to airtime deductions with out efficient communication.
The chamber additional noticed that subscribers have been typically compelled to make repeated calls to obtain profitable connections, thereby incurring further bills arising from community deficiencies past their management.
It expressed explicit concern that seemingly small deductions, when aggregated throughout hundreds of thousands of subscribers, translated into substantial monetary losses, particularly for low-income earners, merchants, college students and small enterprise operators.
The Senate recalled that the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, empowered the NCC to regulate the telecommunications trade, defend shoppers and implement acceptable requirements of service supply.
While acknowledging that occasional community failures is likely to be unavoidable, the lawmakers insisted that subscribers shouldn’t bear the monetary penalties of providers not delivered or materially compromised by network-related failures.
Consequently, the Senate urged the NCC to examine the billing practices of the 4 main cellular community operators and set up the extent of airtime deductions arising from unsuccessful, dropped and interrupted calls.
It additionally referred to as on the regulator to set up an accessible and time-bound complaints and redress mechanism by way of which subscribers might search refunds or acceptable compensation for unjustified deductions and chronic service failures.
In addition, the NCC was urged to introduce rules requiring telecommunications operators to mechanically reverse or refund airtime deducted from verifiably failed calls and qualifying network-related service interruptions.
The lawmakers additionally directed the fee to conduct unbiased technical audits of operators’ billing methods to make sure that subscribers have been charged just for precise and correctly delivered chargeable name durations.
The Senate additional mandated its Committee on Communications to invite the NCC and related telecommunications operators to examine the complaints, assess the monetary losses suffered by subscribers and submit suggestions for additional legislative and regulatory motion inside 4 weeks.
The NCC was equally requested to report to the Senate inside 4 weeks on its investigation and proposed measures to handle the complaints.
In a associated legislative improvement, the Senate on Wednesday handed the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1075), in search of to strengthen the administration, regulation and coordination of public senior secondary schooling throughout the nation.
The passage adopted the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), introduced by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Usman Lawal Adamu, representing Kaduna Central.
Kalu, who moved the movement for consideration of the report, was seconded by Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe, representing Adamawa South.
Presenting the report, Kalu recalled that the Senate had, at its sitting on October 28, 2026, thought of the invoice and referred it to the committee for additional legislative motion.
He described the laws as an Executive Bill designed to handle gaps recognized within the implementation of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act No. 45, 2023.
According to him, the proposed amendments are meant to strengthen the fee’s governance construction, enhance coordination between the Federal and state governments, promote accountability and facilitate the efficient implementation of nationwide schooling insurance policies.
“The proposed amendments are therefore intended to address these challenges and make the Act more effective in achieving its objective,” he mentioned.
Kalu additionally disclosed that the House of Representatives had thought of the identical invoice and referred it to its Committee on Basic Education and Services for additional legislative motion.
He defined that this necessitated a joint stakeholders’ listening to and clause-by-clause session to guarantee complete engagement, harmonisation of positions and a uniform legislative report that will facilitate consideration by each chambers.
“The committee, in its discharge of its legislative mandate, comprehensively considered the submissions, input and opinions on the Bill,” he added.
Following the presentation, the Senate dissolved into the Committee of the Whole, thought of the report clause by clause and adopted the committee’s suggestions earlier than passing the invoice.
The National Senior Secondary Education Commission is the federal company liable for setting requirements, coordinating insurance policies and supporting the event of senior secondary schooling nationwide.
Its tasks embrace supporting curriculum implementation, selling trainer improvement, establishing infrastructure requirements, monitoring instructional efficiency and collaborating with state ministries of schooling and state senior secondary schooling boards.
The proposed amendments are anticipated to present a stronger institutional and regulatory framework for the fee, significantly in its relationship with state governments.
The invoice will, nonetheless, require the concurrence of the House of Representatives and presidential assent earlier than turning into regulation.
