Nigerians are facing yet another financial strain as telecom operators begin implementing a 50% increase in call, data, and SMS charges. In response, the House of Representatives has called for an immediate suspension of the hike, arguing that it worsens the economic hardship already burdening citizens.
During a recent session, Hon. Oboku Oforji led the charge against the tariff increase, highlighting not just the rising costs but also the poor service quality from telecom providers. Lawmakers have now directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, to put the new charges on hold until service delivery improves.
However, despite this directive, subscribers across the country began noticing higher charges as of Tuesday.
The NCC had initially approved the tariff hike in January, citing the need for industry sustainability. The commission clarified that the increase was lower than the 100% adjustment that some telecom operators had requested.
Nigeria’s telecom sector serves over 224 million mobile subscribers. MTN leads the market with 87 million users (38.79% share), followed by Globacom and Airtel, each with 61 million, while 9mobile accounts for 13.9 million.
Labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had previously threatened industrial action over the hike but suspended protests after discussions with government officials.
This development comes at a time when Nigerians are already struggling with an economic crisis. The removal of petrol subsidies, coupled with the naira’s depreciation, has led to soaring inflation and skyrocketing living costs. Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, petrol prices have jumped from under N200 to over N1,100 per litre, while the naira has plunged from N700/$ to about N1,600/$.
With the rising cost of essentials, the telecom tariff hike is an added burden on millions of Nigerians. Will the government reverse it? Stay tuned for updates, and share your thoughts. #TelecomTariff #NigerianEconomy
