By Chinenye Anuforo
The Association of Telephone Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) has vehemently denied reports of an imminent tariff increase by telecommunications companies. These reports, circulated by some online media outlets and a national daily newspaper, were deemed false and misleading by the organization.
Sina Bilesanmi, National President of ATCIS-Nigeria, condemned the spread of these rumours during an urgent press conference held Monday in Lagos. He emphasized that no tariff increase has been approved or implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“This is nothing but speculation,” Bilesanmi declared. “The report has caused unnecessary anxiety among millions of telecom subscribers across the country.”
A senior official at the NCC, corroborated ATCIS’s statement, confirming that the Commission had not authorized any tariff increase. He further clarified that the NCC had not issued any statements to the media regarding a price hike.
“The reporter who published this false information appears to have been influenced by unscrupulous elements seeking to destabilize the industry,” the source stated. “I want to reiterate that there is no new tariff increase at this time. Any future adjustments to tariffs will involve extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including ATCIS.”
ATCIS had previously written a letter to the NCC on December 24, 2024, requesting clarification on the purported tariff increase scheduled for January 2025. The initial report claimed a 40% increase, with call charges rising to N15.40 from N11, SMS costs increasing to N5.60, and 1GB of data priced at N1400 instead of N1000.
ATCIS urged all telecom subscribers in Nigeria to remain calm and disregard these unfounded rumours. The organization assured its members that it would be actively involved in any future discussions regarding tariff adjustments.