12th February 2025
Despite the directive by House of Representative ordering a suspension in the implementation of the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, approved 50 per cent tariff hike, citing economic hardship, the Nigerian telecommunications operators have started implementing the hike.
The House of Representatives had on Tuesday directed the telecom regulator and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to suspend the tariff increase, arguing that Nigerians cannot afford higher telecom costs amid rising inflation and the removal of fuel subsidies.
The tariff hike was scheduled to take effect nationwide starting Monday.
Meanwhile MTN, the country’s largest telecommunications provider, had already started implementing the revised rates as of Tuesday, other key players—Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile, were yet to commence implementation.
A top MTN executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the development. “Yes, we’ve started updating our price lists. However, this process is gradual, and we haven’t completed it for all products yet.”
The tariff adjustment primarily affects MTN data plans. For example, the 1.5GB monthly plan, previously priced at N1,000, has now been replaced with a 1.8GB plan costing N1,500.
Similarly, the 15GB plan has increased from N4,500 to N6,500, while the 20GB plan now costs N7,500, up from N5,500. Larger data bundles have seen even steeper hikes, with the 1.5 terabyte 90-day plan increasing from N150,000 to N240,000, and the 600GB 90-day plan rising from N75,000 to N120,000.
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He further said “From Wednesday, prices of other MTN products will be adjusted. We are doing it in phases. Not all the prices went up, some didn’t change, some are still below 50 per cent.”
An executive at Airtel, who also spoke under the condition of anonymity, indicated that the tariff hike had been implemented across the industry.
“As far as I know, every operator has commenced. This is an industry-wide decision, not an operator decision. Our prices have never been uniform, and the decision was made collectively on Monday. Every operator must have begun, even if the rollout is not yet fully completed,”
A senior official at Globacom, who spoke as anonymous too, said that, while the company was yet to rolled out the new tariffs regime, but that there was a possibility of an update before the close of business as at Tuesday February 11.
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A Peoples Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives, from Bayelsa State, Oboku Oforji, had in a motion of urgent public importance during Tuesday’s plenary session, titled “Need for the Nigerian Communications Commission not to approve the impending hike in the telecommunications tariffs,” sought to halt the tariff increase.
Oforji, had argued that while telecommunications companies justified the tariff hike by citing rising operational costs and the need for improved service delivery, the timing was particularly problematic given the economic hardship many Nigerians face.
He noted that inflation, which hit a record 34.6 per cent in November 2024, and the removal of fuel subsidies had already placed significant financial strain on citizens.
Another lawmaker from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called on the service providers to first improve the quality of their services before coming up with a hike in tariff.
“Why is it that when things go wrong in this country, the poor people must suffer? First, it was the electricity tariff, now it is the turn of the telecom companies. Nigerians must enjoy these services.
The NCC announced the tariff hike on January 20, citing rising operational costs and the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the telecommunications sector
