The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will introduce regular compliance audits of banks, mobile network operators and other participants involved in airtime and data vending. This proposal is part of a broader regulatory framework designed to end the recurring problem of failed airtime and data purchases that have generated a growing array of consumer complaints.
The framework, published as an exposure draft and dated February 5, 2026, emerges from joint regulatory thinking on how to strengthen accountability and improve the reliability of digital purchase channels. The intended outcome is a consistent process that enforces standards and resolves operational weaknesses across the financial and telecommunications value chains.
Under the draft, the CBN and NCC will carry out compliance checks of stakeholders either together or separately at quarterly intervals or other times they deem appropriate. This audit cycle reflects the regulators’ view that periodic oversight is vital to ensuring adherence to agreed service level metrics and consumer protection obligations. The audits are expected to probe operational capacity, SLA (service level agreement) compliance and how effectively each participant safeguards consumer interests.
“The NCC and CBN will audit Stakeholder compliance jointly or individually at quarterly or other intervals as may be determined.”
The scope of the audits is wide. Banks, licensed mobile network operators, payment service providers, merchants and other NCC-authorised licensees involved in the sale of airtime and data will fall under the scrutiny of these reviews. Linking audits to licensing status is also intended to curb participation by unlicensed intermediaries and reduce integration issues that contribute to transaction failures.
In addition to audits, the framework empowers the regulators to impose penalties where breaches are found. This expands enforcement beyond voluntary compliance and gives the CBN and NCC leverage to drive systemic changes when service providers fail to meet their obligations.
A key component of the draft is the standardisation of transaction timelines and reversal procedures. Regulators want a unified approach with clear rules for how transactions should be processed and reversed when they fail. As part of this, the proposal includes real-time notifications to all parties and automated customer reversals once a failure is confirmed. In test or sandbox environments, refunds for failed airtime or data purchases are to be completed within 30 seconds. Limits on re-attempted transactions, a maximum of two by banks during network issues, are also part of the design to prevent repeated debits without delivery of value.
To improve transparency, the framework calls for a central monitoring dashboard to be jointly hosted by the CBN and NCC. This system will track failed transactions, reversals, SLA breaches and complaints in real time. Stakeholders will be required to maintain daily records of transaction outcomes and share them with regulators. Quarterly SLA compliance scorecards from banks, telcos and others are also expected to foster operational discipline and restore confidence in digital purchase platforms.
The exposure draft has been released for public comment before it is finalised and enforced nationwide. Regulators are seeking feedback from industry and consumer bodies as they prepare to institutionalise these measures.
