By Adedapo Adesanya

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have released an exposure of the joint framework for the quick resolution of failed airtime and data purchase transactions, which will involve no customer intervention.

Recall that a month ago, Business Post reported that the two agencies came up with a directive that failed airtime and data purchase transactions were to be completed within 30 seconds, following rising consumer complaints over debits without value.

According to the exposure draft, mobile network operators and other industry players must ensure that refunds for failed airtime and data purchase transactions are completed within 30 seconds, and without any customer intervention.

This means that the customer should not have to file a complaint, call customer care, or submit a ticket before the refund is completed within 30 seconds of the failed transaction. Any delay beyond this window would be a breach of the rule.

The obligation is not limited to mobile network operators (MTNs, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile) alone; it also covers payment service providers, aggregators, fintechs, and value-added service providers involved in airtime and data sales.

The directive is contained in an exposure draft of a joint CBN and NCC framework released to the public, which targets situations where customers’ bank accounts are debited without corresponding airtime or data delivery.

The framework, according to the CBN, was developed to address “rising consumer complaints around failed airtime and data purchase transactions where customers are debited without successful service delivery.”

The document noted that the initiative is designed to “institutionalise clear accountability, standardise resolution timelines, and ensure a sustainable, coordinated approach to consumer redress across the financial and telecommunications ecosystems.”

Under the proposed rules, refunds for failed transactions must be processed automatically and in real time. The framework explicitly states that where airtime or data delivery fails, stakeholders are required to “refund Purchaser within 30 seconds,” regardless of whether the failure occurs at the bank, NCC-authorised licensee, or mobile network operator level.

The exposure draft further emphasised that since automated reversals should require no customer intervention, it recommended “automatic system-triggered reversals” supported by end-to-end transaction visibility tools and standardised error codes across the value chain.

To reduce multiple debits and delays, banks are instructed to limit transaction re-attempts, with the framework stating that “banks are to limit re-attempts to twice only,” while customers must be notified of pending, failed, or successful transactions in real time.

On accountability, the regulators made it clear that notifications of failure carry financial consequences, stating that “notifications of failure create final settlement obligations between MNOs and NCC authorised licensees.”

It also noted that “disputes between Stakeholders about this framework and its subject matter shall first undergo dual resolution amongst affected parties. Any dispute unresolved within five working days shall be escalated to regulators (CBN and NCC), addressed to the Director Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department of CBN, and/or the Director Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC.”

The exposure draft also disclosed plans for stronger regulatory oversight, including a central monitoring platform. According to the document, “there shall be a Central Monitoring Dashboard hosted by CBN and NCC for tracking reversals, SLA breaches, and customer complaints,” to provide real-time national visibility into failed transactions.

CBN director, Consumer Protection & Financial Inclusion, Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, in a statement, invited stakeholders and members of the public to submit comments ahead of the February 20, 2026, deadline, as regulators move towards finalising what they described as a national framework to “restore subscriber trust and ensure accountability” across Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate has amended the Electoral Act, modifying Clause 60 to require the presiding officer at each polling unit to electronically transmit election results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

However, it added a clause that if electronic transmission fails due to communication/network issues, the manual result sheet (Form EC8A) would become the primary source for result collation.

The Senate amended the votes and proceedings of its plenary sitting last Wednesday, February 4, with regard to its resolutions on the provisions of section 60 sub 3 in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The motion moved by the Senate Chief Whip, Mr Mohammed Tahir Monguno, and endorsed by the red chamber, is with regard to the electronic transmission of election results from polling units.

Following the motion, this means the Senate adopts electronic means for the transmission of election results, but should there be a communication glitch that leads to failure of delivery by the electronic means, the form EC8, which contains the results at polling unit, duly entered on the form, stamped and signed by the election officer appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and counter signed by the various agents shall be the primary source of collation.

After the vote on the motion, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe moved a counter-motion calling for a division, that is, individual voting on section 60 sub 3.

He, however, withdrew the motion after the Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked him to proceed.

The issue of real-time transmission has raised worries with protesters, including former presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi and others marching to the National Assembly on Monday to voice their anger at legislators approving changes to electoral laws, while omitting the key reform demanded by the opposition party.

The Senate’s position on the transmission of election results contrasts with that of the House of Representatives. However, both chambers have set up conference committees to harmonise their differences, after which a clean copy will be transmitted to the President for assent.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Embattled former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, returned to court in London on Monday, denying wrongdoing as prosecutors presented evidence for an alleged bribery.

It was recently reported that Mrs Alison-Madueke, once president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), received cash and luxury benefits in exchange for influence over oil and gas contracts when she was a minister in the cabinet of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

She has denied the claims repeatedly.

In the latest development in her trial, jurors in the British court today heard testimony from a luxury furnishings retailer and a former housekeeper, as prosecutors sought to show how high-end purchases and property use were allegedly routed through intermediaries.

The 65-year-old is accused of multiple bribery counts stemming from a years-long investigation.

The alleged offences occurred between 2011 and 2015, when she was Nigeria’s oil minister but maintained a UK address.

The UK National Crime Agency (NCA), which targets international and serious and organised crime, accused her of receiving the bribes in Britain.

Mrs Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups.

Both companies secured contracts with the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its subsidiaries, according to the prosecution.

The former minister is also said to have received £100,000 ($137,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, a private jet flight to Nigeria and refurbishment work and staff costs at several London properties.

Other counts allege she received school fees for her son, products from high-end shops such as London’s Harrods department store and Louis Vuitton, and further private jet flights.

Mrs Alison-Madueke has been involved in numerous legal cases globally, including in the United States.

She has been on bail in Britain since she was arrested in October 2015.

In 2023, she was formally charged with accepting bribes, which she has denied.