Telcos tariff hike_ Minister clears air

Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has announced that telecom tariffs in Nigeria are set to increase soon. However, he assured Nigerians that the hike will not be as high as the 100% increase currently requested by telecom operators. Ongoing consultations are being held to determine a fair rate, with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) expected to approve the new tariffs shortly.

The minister emphasized that while the government aims to protect consumers, it also needs to ensure that telecom companies can continue to invest in the sector. He also highlighted the importance of infrastructure investment, which has historically been left to private companies. The government plans to support the growth of the sector through better regulation.

Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, added that the discussions around tariff increases are still ongoing, and Nigerians would hear about the new rates in a couple of weeks. He also mentioned that the NCC has revised its quality of service regulations and expects mobile network operators (MNOs) to show clear charges for services like voice calls, SMS, and data usage.

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Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, represented by Femi Adeniran, supported the tariff adjustments, explaining that rising operational and capital costs make the increases necessary for the sector’s long-term sustainability, which would ultimately benefit Nigerian consumers.