The Centre for Digital Justice and Consumer Rights has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to publish service-level agreement (SLA) standards to guide consumers on accountability for failed airtime and data recharge transactions.

This demand was made by the Centre’s Executive Director, Kenechukwu Opara, in a statement issued on Monday.

Opara’s comments follow the recent joint collaboration between the NCC and CBN to address issues surrounding failed or delayed airtime and data purchases on electronic platforms, including banking apps and USSD channels.

While commending both regulators for the initiative, Opara described the move as a “long-overdue consumer protection reform”, saying it would help restore public confidence in Nigeria’s digital payment ecosystem.

“For far too long, consumers have borne the brunt of system failures that are neither their fault nor within their control,” Opara said.

“This new collaboration between the NCC and the CBN represents a decisive move to end the culture of impunity and neglect that has defined digital transaction failures in the telecom sector.”

He emphasized that the reform, when implemented, would ensure accountability among telecom operators, payment processors, and banks, while also protecting millions of subscribers who often lose money to unresolved or delayed reversals.

“Consumers are the backbone of both the telecom and financial systems,” he added.
“By ensuring that customers get full value for every recharge and data purchase, the NCC is not only protecting rights but also deepening trust in Nigeria’s cashless and digital inclusion policies.”

Opara urged the regulators to publish the service-level expectations for all stakeholders so that consumers can clearly identify which party is responsible when a transaction fails.

“The era of consumers losing their hard-earned money to failed transactions without redress should be over,” he stated.
“The NCC and CBN have given Nigerians renewed hope. Now it’s time for the industry to match that with action.”