The latest findings from the Nigeria Customer Service Index (NCSI) have highlighted significant customer service challenges within key sectors of the Nigerian economy. According to the 2024 report, released earlier this week, E-commerce, Power, and Real Estate are the worst-performing sectors in terms of customer service satisfaction.
The NCSI 2024 marks the second edition of the annual assessment, which evaluates customer experience and service delivery across multiple industries in Nigeria. A collaborative initiative with the West Africa Association of Customer Service Professionals (WASPs), the platform aims to reshape the dynamics of service across Nigerian businesses and government services.
Decline for E-commerce and Power Sectors
The E-commerce sector scored the lowest, with a mere 60%, followed closely by the Power sector at 61%, and Real Estate at 62%. This marks a concerning trend for industries that are critical to the country’s economic growth and the everyday lives of Nigerians. While the report noted a marginal improvement in the overall Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Index—up to 67% from 61% in 2023—sector-specific results were a mixed bag.
Despite the overall improvement, the E-commerce, Power, and Real Estate sectors failed to make significant strides, pointing to systemic issues in service delivery. These industries, which play pivotal roles in the nation’s development, face increasing pressure to raise their standards to meet growing consumer expectations.
Transportation and Public Sector Shine
On the brighter side, the Transportation sector emerged as the top performer with a 73% satisfaction score, surpassing the Hospitality sector (72%), which dropped from its 2023 top ranking. A particularly noteworthy achievement was seen in the public sector, which showed an impressive improvement, rising from a dismal 47% in 2023 to 63% in 2024. This jump suggests that efforts to improve governmental customer service are starting to pay off.
The Top Performers
The 2024 report also recognized top-performing companies in various sectors. These included MTN (Telecoms), FiberOne (Internet Service Provider), Mega Chicken and Chicken Republic (Eateries), and BetWay (Sports Gaming). In healthcare, Reliance Family Hospital (Private) and Uni-Abuja Teaching Hospital (Public) stood out, while Obafemi Awolowo University (Public) and Covenant University (Private) led in the Education sector.
Improving Customer Service Culture
In her remarks, Sola Salako-Ajulo, the patron of WAACSP and founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, expressed optimism about the progress shown in the 2024 report. She emphasized that while Nigeria still has a long way to go, the progress made compared to 2023 is encouraging. “We need to keep improving,” she stated. “Nigeria is not where it should be, and our customer service culture still needs to improve. But with annual feedback from the NCSI, service providers will better understand how Nigerians feel about the service they receive, which will hopefully drive improvement across the board.”
The keynote speaker, Tunji Adeleye, underscored the importance of having measurable standards to improve service delivery, noting, “What cannot be measured, cannot be improved.” He stressed that businesses must recognize that it is the customer who ultimately defines their success.
Chris Anozie, the team lead at NCSI, emphasized that many of the services rated in the report are not free and urged service providers to take responsibility for delivering the quality of service that customers pay for. He pointed out that customers deserve services that match the standards seen in global organizations.
Survey Methodology and Participation
The NCSI 2024 survey was conducted online between May 1 and December 31, 2024, with over 16,000 responses—a remarkable 104% increase from the previous year’s 7,788 submissions. Respondents from major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu participated, covering diverse demographics in terms of age, education, and income. Over 1,000 organizations contributed to the survey, with more than 50 valid ratings required to qualify for inclusion in the report. The NCSI assessed 12 sectors and 21 sub-sectors, utilizing eight key evaluation parameters to measure customer satisfaction.
As Nigeria moves forward, the NCSI 2024 report signals that while progress is being made in certain areas, industries such as E-commerce, Power, and Real Estate must urgently address customer service shortcomings to foster a more satisfying experience for Nigerian consumers.
