The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has imposed a K5.2 million sanction on Airtel Networks Zambia as compensation to consumers following a major data service outage that occurred on June 10, 2025. In addition to the compensation, Airtel has been fined K828,000 for violating quality-of-service and consumer protection regulations.
Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, ZICTA Director General Eng. Collins Mbulo addressed public concern regarding the widespread disruption that left thousands of subscribers without access to mobile internet services. He confirmed that the penalties followed a thorough investigation and assessment of information submitted by Airtel.
“Today I address a matter that has understandably raised significant concern among consumers, the business community, and members of the general public. This is the issue of the recent data services outage which was experienced on the Airtel Network on Tuesday, June 10, 2025,” said Mbulo.
The outage, which lasted for several hours, severely impacted communication, business transactions, and access to digital services across the country. Users took to various platforms to express frustration, calling for accountability and compensation.
ZICTA’s probe revealed that Airtel had breached key provisions of the Information and Communications Technologies Act and the Consumer Protection Guidelines governing service delivery and reliability. The authority found that Airtel failed to implement adequate measures to prevent the outage and did not communicate effectively with affected customers during the disruption.
“As a regulator, our responsibility is to ensure that service providers uphold the standards that guarantee consumer satisfaction, safety, and continuity,” Mbulo stated. “The sanction of K5.2 million is intended as direct compensation to subscribers who were affected by the service breakdown, while the K828,000 fine is a regulatory penalty for failing to comply with set service quality thresholds.”
He added that Airtel has been instructed to issue public communication detailing the compensation process, and to submit a comprehensive plan outlining corrective measures to prevent future occurrences.
In response, Airtel Zambia has acknowledged the outage and assured its customers that steps are being taken to strengthen the reliability of its data services. The company has committed to working closely with ZICTA to implement necessary upgrades and improve customer communication protocols.
ZICTA’s action has been widely praised by consumer rights advocates, who have long called for stronger accountability in the telecommunications sector. With mobile connectivity increasingly underpinning commerce, education, and public services, the authority emphasized that reliable and transparent service is not optional — it’s essential.
The development sends a strong signal to telecom operators that regulatory oversight in Zambia is not only active but determined to protect the interests of consumers in an evolving digital economy.