A combined photo of Glo, MTN and Airtel logos
By Akeem Atoyebi
In the midst of poverty and skyrocketing cost of basic commodities, Nigerians may soon face another difficultly as Telco are allegedly gearing up to increase calls, data plans and SMS charges from early 2025 as there are indications that the Federal government may give a nod to the persistent calls for tariff review.
Recall that the tariff was last reviewed 11 years ago while telecom operators have continued to intensify their calls for a new hike.
Recently, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to allow telecommunications companies (Telecoms) to increase tariffs by a marginal increase of 10 percent, rather than load-shedding.
Meanwhile, telco giants like MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile have consistently called for an increase in tariff rates.
Recall that the Chief Executive Officer of 9mobile, Obafemi Banigbe, recently joined the call for a tariff hike for telecom services.
According to him, the telecom industry has been badly hit by the current naira devaluation, forcing major telecom operators to declare significant losses.
Banigbe disclosed that the costs incurred by the telecom operators have significantly increased, citing towercos, which he said increased their prices by over 300 per cent, “this is an outside hike in diesel cost, insecurity, vandalism, maintenance of sites, infrastructure upgrades, among others.”
He added that the only way for them to survive is a tariff increase, noting that even charges by Customs — a government agency — have increased.
“What they charge us has increased tremendously. We need to act fast to keep the sector going. The industry must get free market opportunities to increase tariffs on services,” the 9mobile CEO said.
