CBN, NCC propose 24-hour refunds for airtime and data sent to wrong numbers

Nigeria’s telecom and financial regulators are moving to mandate 24-hour refunds for everyday airtime and data mistakes, from over-purchases to wrong-number transfers.

The joint exposure draft released on Monday, by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), seeks to fix long-standing consumer pain points around mistaken airtime and data purchases by replacing non-existent refund practices with clear rules, legal thresholds, and standardised timelines.

For the first time, mobile network operators (MNOs), NCC-authorised licencees, and banks would be formally accountable for consumer errors such as wrong-number transfers and mistaken value purchases.

Under the framework, the overpurchase of airtime and data by a subscriber will be reversed within 24 hours after a complaint is lodged.   

For airtime or data sent to the wrong phone number, the framework introduces value-based thresholds. Transactions of ₦20,000 ($14.64) and above will require an affidavit of indemnity or a notarised indemnity letter before reversal is processed, while smaller transactions between ₦1,000 ($0.73) and ₦20,000 ($14.64) will depend on recipient consent, to be facilitated by the mobile network operators. The recovery timeline is set at 24 hours.

In January, TechCabal reported that the CBN and NCC will introduce a new consumer protection framework that mandates near-instant refunds for failed airtime and data transactions, from March 1, 2026. 

The regulators, in a statement at the time, said subscribers who are debited without receiving value would be entitled to a refund within 30 seconds, a move aimed at addressing one of the most persistent complaints in Nigeria’s digital services ecosystem. 

The draft framework released on Monday expands on these efforts, which aim to address mistaken purchases and tackle rising consumer complaints around failed airtime and data transactions.

“This development buttresses the need for the proposed framework to institutionalise clear accountability, standardise resolution timelines, and ensure a sustainable, coordinated approach to consumer redress across the financial and telecommunications ecosystems,” said Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, director, consumer protection and financial inclusion.

If adopted, subscribers will be able to lodge complaints with either their bank or mobile network operator for refunds when they are debited without service delivery, wrong value purchases, or send airtime/data to the wrong number.

The framework mandates banks and MNOs to create formal dispute resolution processes, document all claims, and process them within defined service-level timelines.

For oversight, the regulators plan to introduce a central monitoring dashboard for tracking reversals, SLA breaches, and customer complaints.

“This will facilitate the establishment of a real-time national “Failed Transactions Dashboard” with uniform error code, with end-to-end visibility across the value chain,” the document read.

When disputes remain unresolved after five working days, subscribers can escalate them to the CBN and NCC.

If adopted, the framework would expand consumer rights for millions of Nigerians who rely on digital channels for airtime and data purchases.