CBN, NCC propose 30-second refunds for failed airtime, data purchases

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have proposed that customers receive automatic refunds within 30 seconds for failed airtime and data purchases, in a move aimed at addressing persistent billing complaints in the telecommunications sector.

The proposal is contained in an Exposure Draft of the Joint CBN–NCC Framework for Resolution of Failed Airtime and Data Purchase Transactions, published Monday on the CBN’s website.

Dated February 5, 2026, the draft framework seeks to establish clear accountability among stakeholders and create a coordinated system for resolving transaction failures across both the financial and telecom sectors.

A key feature of the proposal is the introduction of standardised and automated timelines for resolving failed transactions. Currently, customers often experience long delays when airtime or data purchases fail at the bank, payment aggregator, or Mobile Network Operator (MNO) level.

Under the new rules, refunds must be processed automatically within 30 seconds if a transaction fails at any point, including the bank, licensed service providers, or MNOs. Regulators say this will eliminate the need for customers to manually lodge complaints before getting their money back.

The framework mandates all stakeholders to automate their reversal processes and connect only with authorised licensees approved by both the CBN and NCC. Banks and telecom operators will also be required to work exclusively with recognised digital channel partners for airtime and data vending.

To strengthen oversight, the regulators plan to introduce a Central Monitoring Dashboard jointly hosted by the CBN and NCC. The platform will track reversals, service-level agreement breaches, and customer complaints in real time. The dashboard will also feature uniform error codes and provide end-to-end visibility across the transaction chain.

The system is designed to prevent situations where banks and telecom operators shift blame for failed recharges. As part of the measures, both parties must maintain and share daily reports on successful and failed transactions.

The draft also addresses issues around recharges to ported phone numbers. MNOs will be required to validate numbers against a porting database before processing payments. If a number is invalid or has been ported, the recharge must be blocked and a failure notification sent to prevent customer charges.

For mistaken transfers to the wrong recipients, the framework outlines recovery procedures. Transactions below ₦20,000 will require the recipient’s consent for reversal, while amounts above ₦20,000 will require an affidavit of indemnity or notarised documentation.

The CBN and NCC said they will conduct joint quarterly audits of banks, payment service providers, and telecom operators to ensure compliance, warning that penalties will be imposed for violations.

Financial institutions have been given until February 10, 2026, to submit feedback on the draft.

Once implemented, the framework is expected to improve transparency and restore consumer confidence in Nigeria’s digital payment and telecom systems.