CBN, NCC Mandate 30-second Refunds for Failed Top-ups.

ABUJA — The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have unveiled a revolutionary regulatory framework to terminate failed airtime and data transactions. This joint initiative targets the persistent “debit-without-service” syndrome that has long plagued millions of Nigerian digital service consumers. According to an exposure draft released on Monday, the new rules mandate that failed transactions must trigger an automatic refund within 30 seconds. This directive applies across the entire ecosystem, including commercial banks, mobile network operators (MNOs), and licensed payment service providers. Consequently, the regulators aim to institutionalize a coordinated approach to consumer redress that eliminates the current fragmented resolution process.

The proposed framework specifically discourages manual intervention in the reversal process, favoring “automatic system-triggered reversals” instead. Furthermore, banks must now limit transaction re-attempts to a maximum of twice to prevent multiple erroneous debits. This measure addresses the systemic friction where customers often suffer several deductions for a single unsuccessful purchase. Meanwhile, all stakeholders must implement end-to-end transaction visibility supported by standardized error codes to ensure clarity during failures. Stakeholders and the general public have until February 20, 2026, to submit their formal feedback on the draft proposal.

Conversely, the regulators have introduced a sophisticated oversight mechanism to ensure total compliance with these new service level agreements (SLAs). A Central Monitoring Dashboard, jointly hosted by the CBN and NCC, will provide real-time visibility into nationwide transaction failures. This platform will track reversals, SLA breaches, and consumer complaints to pinpoint precisely where technical bottlenecks occur. Furthermore, the framework mandates that any unresolved disputes between industry players must escalate to the regulators within five working days. This aggressive oversight aims to prevent the “blame-game” culture that frequently leaves the average subscriber in a state of financial limbo.

In a related development, the framework addresses long-standing technical grievances such as recharges sent to ported or invalid phone numbers. MNOs are now required to validate recipient numbers against the national ported database before a transaction proceeds. If a system identifies a number as invalid, it must proactively stop the recharge and notify the issuing bank. Furthermore, the draft outlines specific protocols for reversing erroneous recharges based on the transaction amount and recipient consent. This comprehensive approach seeks to restore diminishing subscriber trust in Nigeria’s high-frequency digital payment channels.

Ultimately, the success of this 30-second refund rule depends on the rapid technical integration of all participating financial and telecom entities. While some industry executives caution against potential backend challenges, the regulators appear determined to enforce these global best practices.