The anticipated 50 per cent tariff hike coming after regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission have commenced by the Nigerian telecommunications operators, however legislatures are moving to stop it emergence due to economic hardship.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives directed the telecom regulator and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to halt the tariff increase, citing that Nigerians cannot accommodate higher telecom costs amid rising inflation and the removal of fuel subsidies.
The tariff hike, which was vetted by the NCC, was programmed to take effect nationwide as from Monday. While MTN, Nigeria’s largest telecommunications provider, had commenced implementing the revised rates on Tuesday, other mobile network like Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile had yet to roll out their new price.
An MTN boss, who sought for anonymity as a result of unauthorisation to communicate on the issue, affirmed the development. “Yes, we’ve started updating our price lists. However, this process is gradual, and we haven’t completed it for all products yet.”
The tariff reform basically affects MTN data plans. For example, the 1.5GB monthly plan, formerly priced at N1,000, has now been pegged at 1.8GB plan costing N1,500.
The source added, “From tomorrow (Wednesday), prices of other MTN products will be adjusted. We are doing it in phases. Not all the prices went up, some didn’t change, some are still below 50 per cent.”
A Globacom senior staff, who was not approved to communicate on the issue, affirmed that while the company had not yet issued the new tariffs, there was a chance of an update before the close of business on Tuesday.
An official at Airtel, who also passed a message under the condition of anonymity, cited that the tariff hike had commenced across the industry.
“As far as I know, every operator has commenced. This is an industry-wide decision, not an operator decision. Our prices have never been uniform, and the decision was made collectively on Monday. Every operator must have begun, even if the rollout is not yet fully completed,” the official said.
The House of Representatives wade in at the aftermath of motion for urgent public importance was raised by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Bayelsa State, Oboku Oforji during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The motion, titled “Need for the Nigerian Communications Commission not to approve the impending hike in the telecommunications tariffs,” sought to halt the tariff increase.
The NCC declared the tariff increase on January 20, citing increasing operational costs.
On the other hand, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers voiced its displeasure, seeking legal action against the approved tariff hike. NATCOMS opined that the increase be pegged at 10 per cent.
The Nigeria Labour Congress had earlier moved against the hike, calling for the increase to be pegged at five per cent.
Due to several interventions, a protest scheduled for February 4, 2025, by NLC President, Joe Ajaero was halted, the scheduled protest was in line with the Telcos tarrif price hike.
