Nigerians have expressed displeasure over the decision of the Nigerian Communications Commission to increase tariffs for data and calls in the country by 50 percent.
The adjustment came after the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria raised several concerns and asked the NCC to review call tariffs upwards.
The Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, said telcos wanted a 100 per cent increase in tariffs. But in approving the operators’ request, the NCC capped the tariff increase at 50 per cent, lower than the telco’s demand by half.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have said the timing for the hike is wrong, bearing in mind the economic hardship confronting many of them.
In their separate interviews with Investors King on Tuesday, some Nigerians called for the reversal of the tariff hike, saying it would worsen their economic woes.
“This is not what we are expecting. Another increment of tariff that has already defined our lives? No! We want this reversed. Everyone knows how important is communication and for the mere fact that we are battling hardship, government ought to have rejected the proposed hike,” Nnamdi Ugwu lamented.
Another resident of Lagos State, Lucky Odibo, condemned the development and urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the National Communications Commission to reject it.
“Increasing call and data tariffs at this time is pure wickedness. The economy is not smiling. Most states are yet to even implement the minimum wage and here we are paying more for every essential services we get in this country. President Bola Tinubu should not allow this to sail through,” he demanded.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers has threatened to sue the NCC for approving the request of telecommunications companies to increase tariffs.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the President of NATCOMS, Deolu Ogunbanjo, said the NCC did not carry subscribers along in the arrangement, suggesting a five per cent to 10 per cent marginal increase in tariff.
He said the federal government’s approved 50 per cent tariff hike is unacceptable.
“This will affect everyone from the biggest industry to the smallest company, such as the Point of Service (PoS) operators. It will increase operational costs,” he lamented.
Ogunbanjo insisted that the 50 per cent increment is on the high side, maintaining that it should be reduced to five to ten per cent owing to the operational challenges of the telecommunications companies.