By Ayomide Otitoju
The House of Representatives on Tuesday demanded the immediate suspension of the recently approved 50% increase in telecom tariffs, citing the ongoing economic hardship in the country. The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by lawmaker Oboku Oforji.
The House also criticized the poor service delivery by telecom operators, insisting that no tariff hike should take effect until service quality improves. Lawmakers directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to halt the increase.
Subscribers Feel the Impact
Telecom operators across Nigeria had already begun implementing the tariff adjustment approved earlier by the NCC. Many subscribers took to social media on Tuesday to express frustration over the hike, which has seen the cost of calls, data, and text messages rise by nearly 50%.
According to NCC data as of December 2023, Nigeria has over 224 million mobile subscribers. MTN leads the market with 87 million users (38.79%), followed by Globacom and Airtel, each with 61 million subscribers. 9mobile accounts for 13.9 million users.
Regulator Defends Tariff Hike
In January, the NCC announced the tariff increase, stating that telecom subscribers would have to pay more for data and airtime. The commission’s spokesperson, Reuben Muoka, defended the decision, saying it was lower than the “over 100% increase requested by some network operators” and aimed at ensuring industry sustainability.
The regulator cited its authority under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, which empowers it to regulate and approve telecom tariffs.
Labour Unions Threaten Strike
The tariff hike has faced strong opposition from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which had threatened industrial action unless the increase was reversed. However, last-minute negotiations with government officials led to the suspension of planned protests.
Economic Hardship Worsens
The telecom tariff hike comes amid Nigeria’s worst economic crisis in decades, driven by the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira. Since President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023, petrol prices have surged from below N200 per litre to over N1,100 in some parts of the country. The naira has also plummeted from N700/$ to around N1,600/$.
These policies have triggered runaway inflation, pushing food and commodity prices to record highs, worsening the cost-of-living crisis for millions of Nigerians.
