The Nigeria Customer Service Index (NCSI) group has released its highly anticipated State of Customer Service in Nigeria Report for 2024, the second annual assessment of service delivery and customer experience across various business and social service sectors in the country. The report highlights significant achievements and areas needing improvement within the Nigerian customer service landscape, with Wema Bank, MTN, Opay, and Uber emerging as top performers in their respective sectors.
The NCSI 2024 report revealed a marginal improvement in Nigeria’s overall Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Index, rising to 67% in 2024 from 61% in 2023. This indicates a positive, albeit gradual, trend in customer service delivery across the nation.
Several companies have been recognized as leaders within their industries. In the banking sector, Wema Bank stands out as a top-performing institution. MTN has been identified as a leading company in the telecommunications (GSM) sub-sector. The fintech sector showcases strong performance from both Opay and Moniepoint (81% and 78%, respectively). In the realm of transportation, specifically intra-city services, Uber has been recognized as a top performer.
The report’s findings extend beyond these highlighted companies. The transportation sector overall emerged as the best-performing industry with a 73% rating, surpassing the hospitality sector, which held the top spot in 2023 with 72%. Conversely, the e-commerce sector (60%), power sector (61%), and real estate sector (62%) were identified as the lowest-ranking sectors. Notably, the public sector demonstrated a remarkable improvement, increasing its rating from 47% in 2023 to 63% in 2024. Other sectors showing significant progress include telecommunications (58% to 63%), healthcare (62% to 70%), transportation (61% to 73%), and financial services (66% to 72%). The e-commerce sector, however, experienced a decline from 68% in 2023 to 60% in 2024.
The NCSI 2024 survey involved a substantial sample size, with over 16,000 submissions received online via www.nigeriacsi.org, marking a 104% increase from the previous year. The survey, conducted between May 1 and December 31, 2024, included responses from key states such as Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu, representing diverse demographic segments. Over 1,000 organizations and companies participated, with more than 50 valid ratings being a prerequisite for inclusion in the report. The number of listed organizations also saw significant growth, increasing from 537 in 2023 to 1,019 in 2024. The report assessed 12 sectors divided into 21 sub-sectors, utilizing eight key evaluation parameters.
Despite facing infrastructure and manpower challenges in 2024, the report indicates that organizations generally achieved marginal improvements in service delivery. The NCSI report provides valuable insights into the state of customer service in Nigeria, highlighting both progress and areas where further attention and effort are needed.
In her remarks at the unveiling of the report at a press briefing in Lagos, Patron WAACSP and founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, Mrs. Sola Salako-Ajulo, noted: “I’m encouraged because when I started wishing for better customer service in Nigeria, there were no structures like this. Today, we have structures that provide data and support the way consumers perceive it. So it’s a very encouraging report. Last year we were here; we saw how dismal the situation was. This year we have moved up a bit, which shows that there are efforts in that sector.
“We need to keep improving. Nigeria is not where it should be, and our customer service culture still needs enhancement. We’re hoping that with the NCSI report coming out annually, providing feedback to service providers on how consumers in Nigeria feel about their treatment, it will encourage everyone in every sector to improve their quality of service. This, in turn, will make Nigeria better and easier for all of us because if we are treated better, we will spend more money, and when we spend more money, our economy will improve.
“But if people treat you as if you are not important, spending your money becomes a burden, making you reconsider whether you want to spend it or not. However, if you are treated well, like in other countries where customer service is praised, people tend to spend more. That’s why a customer index exists; it is high because people can walk in and purchase anything,” she stressed.
Salako-Ajulo further stated that customers expect to be taken care of and treated well. “This has become the culture in every sector of Nigeria. So this report is like a mirror, showing all the service providers how the people they serve perceive them. This is what they see so that they can take steps to improve.”
The keynote speaker, Fellow WAACSP Mr. Tunji Adeleye, emphasized that “what cannot be measured cannot be improved.”
“The first step toward improving the perception of customer service in Nigeria is establishing a standard measurement that can show us precisely what customers are saying about our services. A lot of times, the mistake organizations make is to view customer service from their own perspective.
“We must realize that it is the customer who defines our success as business people. Finally, we have a report that can show Nigerians that they deserve better, that they have a voice, and that they can speak, complain, and engage with service providers. They can also hold service providers accountable for the services they are paying for,” he added.
In his speech, Chris Anozie, team lead of the NCSI group, stated, “Most of the services rated today are not free; they are services for which customers have paid. A lot of service providers must realize that they need to take responsibility and deliver the quality of service that customers deserve, in line with global standards.
“Lastly, we need to start comparing ourselves with global companies. Often, we assume that Nigerian companies are better. However, in the ISP space, we found that our local provider was rated better by Nigerians than even a foreign provider. This highlights the power of information and measurement.
“This kind of report allows us to improve, and as you can see, from the 2023 report to 2024, we’re making progress. We’re not there yet, but we’re moving forward. The more we demonstrate that there is still a lot to be done, the more we can enhance customer service in Nigeria.”
