MTN Nigeria has announced plans to compensate subscribers affected by poor network quality, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at enforcing stricter service standards across the country’s telecom sector.

The telecom giant disclosed that customers impacted by network disruptions recorded between November 2025 and January 2026 would receive compensation in line with the NCC’s quality-of-service regulatory framework.

The move comes as regulators intensify pressure on mobile network operators over persistent consumer complaints, including dropped calls, slow internet speeds, failed connections, and prolonged service outages.

According to MTN, the compensation exercise is part of a broader effort to improve accountability and ensure customers receive value for the services they pay for. The company described the NCC directive as a customer-focused intervention designed to protect subscribers and encourage operators to maintain acceptable service standards.

“At MTN Nigeria, our customers are the lifeblood of our business,” the company said, stressing that every subscriber deserves a reliable and high-quality network experience.

The telecom operator noted that the new compensation policy reflects a stronger regulatory approach where service providers are held directly responsible for poor service delivery.

How to qualify for MTN compensation

Under the NCC’s framework, subscribers do not need to file complaints, visit service centres, or submit special applications to qualify. Compensation will be automatically applied to customers in locations where MTN failed to meet the commission’s approved quality-of-service benchmarks during the affected period.

This means users who experienced significant service disruptions in identified areas between November 2025 and January 2026 may receive airtime, bonus value, or related service-based compensation directly on their lines.

The compensation applies strictly to subscribers within affected network zones verified by the NCC’s monitoring system. Customers are therefore advised to monitor SMS notifications and account updates from MTN regarding any compensation credited to their lines.

Petrol prices have begun rising across Nigeria as filling stations and depot operators adjust rates in response to escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran around the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil transit route.

The development has triggered fresh concerns among consumers already grappling with the effects of fuel subsidy removal and the full deregulation of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

Checks across major filling stations show that top marketers, including MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, Ardova Plc (AP), NNPC Retail Limited, and other independent dealers, have revised their petrol pump prices upward in anticipation of higher supply costs

Industry analysts say the move reflects fears of a broader increase in petroleum product prices if crude oil prices continue their upward trend

Market surveys show that filling stations have already started reflecting the pressure in their retail prices. MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, one of the major marketers distributing Dangote Refinery petrol, now sells Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N1,320 per litre.

Ardova Plc (AP), another Dangote partner, has fixed its petrol price at N1,325 per litre. Meanwhile, Lado Oil is retailing PMS at N1,350 per litre. In some parts of Lagos, petrol prices have reportedly climbed as high as N1,400 per litre, placing additional strain on transport operators, businesses, and households.

Depot operators have also revised their ex-depot petrol prices upward, according to the market monitoring platform PetroleumPriceNG.

The platform shows that Techno Oil Limited and Ardova Plc set their depot PMS prices at N1,280 per litre. A.Y.M Shafa Limited fixed its rate at N1,277 per litre, while some depots moved prices to around N1,290 per litre, representing a slight upward adjustment.

The increase reflects the growing volatility in international crude prices and the pressure on local supply chains.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has signed a fresh agreement with two Chinese firms in a move aimed at accelerating the long-delayed rehabilitation and commercial restart of Nigeria’s refineries, while opening a new window for technical equity partnerships.

The deal, structured as a Memorandum of Understanding, was signed with Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, marking what the national oil company described as a “critical milestone” in its refinery transformation drive.

The agreement was executed in Jiaxing City, China, on April 30, 2026, by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, alongside the Chairman of Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong, and Chairman of Xingcheng Industrial Park, Bill Bi.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, the MoU sets the stage for a potential Technical Equity Partnership aimed at completing outstanding work at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, as well as ensuring their long-term operational efficiency.

The statement read, “The NNPC Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two Chinese companies, Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, for collaboration through a potential Technical Equity Partnership in support of the completion and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries.”

The national oil firm said the collaboration would go beyond rehabilitation, extending into full-scale operation and maintenance of the facilities to achieve “best-in-class, sustainable performance.”

It added that the arrangement would also explore expansion projects that would reposition the refineries to produce cleaner fuels and higher-value petroleum products, in line with evolving global standards.

Ojulari, speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, described the agreement as the outcome of more than six months of intensive technical and commercial engagements between NNPC and the Chinese firms.

He said, “All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria, and the collective weight required for success.”

The NNPC boss stressed that the MoU represents a transition from traditional contractor-led rehabilitation to a more performance-driven partnership model anchored on shared risks and returns.

He added, “This is an important step on the journey towards identifying potential technical equity partner or partners to restart and expand NNPC’s refineries, and to explore opportunities in co-located petrochemicals and gas-based industries.”

The shift to a technical equity model signals a strategic departure from past refinery turnaround maintenance programmes, many of which failed to deliver lasting results despite significant financial outlays.

Under the proposed framework, the Chinese partners are expected to bring not just engineering expertise, but also operational discipline and investment capacity, aligning their returns with the performance of the refineries.The scope of the collaboration, as outlined by NNPC, includes the development of co-located gas-based industrial hubs, which could transform the Port Harcourt and Warri complexes into integrated energy and petrochemical centres.

Such hubs are expected to unlock additional value from Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, while supporting domestic manufacturing and export-oriented industries.

The company noted that while the MoU reflects a shared intention to advance discussions in good faith, any binding agreements would be subject to regulatory approvals and the conclusion of detailed commercial negotiations.

The latest deal aligns with Ojulari’s earlier position at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026, where he openly canvassed for global technical partners to take equity positions in Nigeria’s refining assets.

At the summit, Ojulari had argued that Nigeria’s refining challenges were not just financial, but deeply technical and operational, requiring experienced partners with proven track records.

He said, “What we are doing differently is moving away from just funding projects to bringing in partners who have skin in the game, partners who will operate, optimise, and guarantee performance.”

He further explained that the technical equity model would ensure accountability and efficiency, as partners would only profit when the refineries perform optimally.

He stated, “The days of spending billions on rehabilitation without sustainable output are behind us. We are now focused on partnerships that deliver value, technology transfer, and operational excellence.”

Ojulari also highlighted the importance of integrating refining with petrochemicals and gas-based industries, noting that modern refineries globally are designed as energy hubs rather than standalone fuel-processing plants.

Refineries must evolve into integrated industrial platforms. That is where the future lies, petrochemicals, fertilizers, gas monetisation. That is how you create real economic value,” he said.

Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have suffered decades of underperformance, frequent shutdowns, and failed rehabilitation efforts, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported petroleum products.

Despite multiple turnaround maintenance projects, the facilities have consistently operated far below capacity, raising concerns over efficiency, transparency, and value for money.

The current administration has prioritised refinery revival as part of its broader energy security strategy, while also supporting private sector investments such as the Dangote Refinery.

The NNPC’s renewed push for technical equity partners comes amid growing pressure to reduce fuel import dependence, stabilise domestic supply, and conserve foreign exchange.

With this latest China deal, the national oil company appears to be betting on a new partnership model, one that ties investment returns directly to performance, in a bid to finally unlock the long-elusive potential of Nigeria’s refining sector.