….NCC To Parley Stakeholders Today
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has confirmed that telecom services tariffs will be increased in the country to create a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the nation’s rapidly evoloving digital economic space.
The minister, who gave this hint shortly after a meeting with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and the relevant agencies, however, assured that the 100% upward review proposed by the telcos would not be feasible..
Speaking after the meeting, Tijani maintained that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was working on approving a revised tariff structure that would reflect the economic realities while ensuring continued investment in the telecoms infrastructure on a sustainable basis in the country.
He explained: “We want to strike the balance as a government, to protect our people but also ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly.”
In his remarks, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, assured telecom subscribers that the tariff increase would not be as steep as initially proposed, stressing the need for simpler pricing models to help consumers better understand charges.
He clarified: “We are moving away from complex pricing regimes with bonuses and different rates, which make it difficult for Nigerians to understand what they are being charged for. Clearer pricing structures will ensure transparency and build trust.”
Justifying the MNOs clamour for tariff hike, the CEO of Airtel Nigeria, who was represented at the meeting by the telco’s spokesperson, Femi Adeniran, explained that rising costs had made tariff adjustments necessary to sustain the telcos’ operations and deliver long-term benefits to consumers.
According to him, the adjustment though controversial, highlights the challenges being faced by MNOs in terms of increasing operational and capital costs in the country.
Meanwhile, as part of the efforts to agree on the tariff rates proposed by the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to the government, the NCC is scheduled to hold a stakeholders’ meeting today in Abuja.
The President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo, was quoted as confirming that the parley will hold by 2 pm at the commission’s headquarters.
Earlier, the President of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, Sola Ajulo, attested to the scheduled meeting of the telecom stakeholders when he featured on Wednesday in Arise TV programme.
While noting that a tariff hike may be inevitable given the current micro and macroeconomic indices of the economy, the civil advocacy proponent, however, maintained that “a 100 per cent or even a 40 per cent increase may be too steep. Easing the tariff increase with measurable conditions could be a more reasonable solution.”
