CBN and NCC Roll Out New Framework to Address Airtime and Data Transaction Failures

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) alongside the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has initiated a collaborative effort to tackle the ongoing issue of failed airtime and data purchases that result in customers being charged without receiving the product. This new framework is designed to enhance accountability across the payments and telecommunications sectors.

The draft of this proposal, which was published on the CBN’s website on Monday, was developed by the bank's Consumer Protection & Financial Inclusion Department in cooperation with the telecommunications regulator. It incorporates insights from a variety of stakeholders, including banks, mobile network operators, and payment service providers.

Central to this initiative is an effort to systematize a chaotic process that has led to increasing customer grievances, especially in the backdrop of Nigeria's expanding digital payments and mobile services. The framework seeks to define responsibilities for transaction failures, establish standard timelines for resolving complaints, and create a unified approach to consumer redress in both sectors.

In a statement issued by Dr Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, the Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, she noted, “The Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department, collaborating with the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the NCC, mobile network operators, banks, payment service providers, and relevant departments of the CBN, has developed a Framework for the Resolution of Failed Airtime and Data Purchase Transactions. This framework aims to address the growing consumer complaints regarding transactions where customers are charged without receiving the intended service.”

She emphasized the importance of the framework in promoting clear accountability, standardizing the resolution timelines, and ensuring a coordinated response to consumer issues across financial and telecommunications systems.

The draft framework is currently open for comments from stakeholders, with the CBN encouraging banks, financial institutions, payment service providers, and the general public to submit their feedback by February 20, 2026.

Under the proposed regulations, automatic refunds would be triggered in the event of failed airtime and data transactions. The framework indicates that when service is not delivered, stakeholders are required to “refund the Purchaser within 30 seconds,” irrespective of where the failure occurred, be it at the bank, an NCC-authorized entity, or a mobile network provider.

To minimize customer complications, the framework advocates for avoiding manual processes, suggesting instead that “automatic system triggered reversals” be instituted, along with ensuring full transaction visibility and standardized error codes throughout the transaction process.

Additionally, the draft aims to curtail repeated debits and unnecessary delays. It specifies that banks should restrict the number of retries to two, and customers are to receive immediate notifications regarding the status of their transactions—whether they are pending, failed, or successful.

Regarding settlements and accountability, the regulators clarified that notifications of failure carry financial repercussions, stating that “failure notifications incur final settlement responsibilities between MNOs and NCC- authorized licensees.”

The framework also delineates a structured process for dispute resolution, indicating that conflicts among stakeholders regarding this framework must first be amicably resolved between the involved parties. If any issue remains unresolved within five working days, it would then escalate to the CBN and NCC for further action.

To bolster oversight, the proposed draft includes plans for a central monitoring system. It states that “a Central Monitoring Dashboard, maintained by both the CBN and NCC, will be established to track reversals, monitor Service Level Agreement (SLA) breaches, and manage customer complaints,” thereby granting regulators comprehensive visibility into transaction failures across the nation.