Reps Demand Reversal of Telecom Tariff Hike As New Fees are Being Effected
The House of Representatives has called for the immediate suspension of the 50% increase in telecom tariffs, citing economic hardship. This follows a motion by Oboku Oforji, who also decried poor service delivery by telecom operators. Lawmakers directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, to halt the tariff hike until service quality improves.
Despite this, telecom operators have begun implementing the new charges, affecting call, data, and SMS costs. Many subscribers reported noticing the increase on Tuesday. The NCC had approved the hike in January, stating it was necessary for industry sustainability but was lower than the 100% increase requested by some operators.
Nigeria has over 224 million mobile subscribers, with MTN leading at 87 million users (38.79% market share), followed by Globacom and Airtel with 61 million each, and 9mobile at 13.9 million.
Labour unions, including the NLC and TUC, initially threatened industrial action but suspended protests after talks with government officials.
This hike comes amid Nigeria’s worst economic crisis in decades, following the removal of petrol subsidies and the naira’s floating. Since President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration in May 2023, petrol prices have soared from under N200 to over N1,100 per litre, while the naira has plunged from N700/$ to N1,600/$. Inflation has skyrocketed, worsening the cost-of-living crisis.
