CBN, NCC, others synergize to resolve rising cases of failed airtime, data purchases complaints

By Onu Okorie 

The Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at Central Bank of Nigeria CBN Dr. Aisha Isa-Olatinwo has said that the apex bank and other stakeholders are synergizing to develop a resolution framework aimed at improving transaction efficiency, prompt resolution, and clear charge back processes in response to rising cases of failed airtime and data purchases with corresponding debits to bank accounts, and delays in resolving related complaints.

This was part of the statement made available to the media recently in Abuja.

Dr Isa-Olatinwo  explained that the framework is a joint effort involving the CBN, NCC, Mobile Network Operators MNOs, Deposit Money Banks DMBs, and other relevant stakeholders.

The statement further clarified that the CBN, Nigerian Communications Commission NCC and other stakeholders have released an Exposure Draft of a new framework to address the failed airtime and data purchases, as well as delays or non-resolution of disputes arising from debits to customer bank account.

The framework provides a unified national approach to managing failed airtime and data transactions, emphasizing root cause identification, regulatory alignment, standardized Service Level Agreements (SLAs), real-time reconciliation, and regulator-enforced timelines for automated reversals. The goal is to restore subscriber trust and ensure accountability.

CBN also outlined the objectives of the framework as: identifying and addressing the root causes of failed airtime and data transactions; Tackling delays or non-resolution of disputes arising from debits to bank accounts; Prescribing enforceable SLAs;

Developing standards to distinguish failed and successful transactions and guide resolution; Documenting the responsibilities of each stakeholder. The framework is part of ongoing efforts to enhance subscriber satisfaction and strengthen Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.