By Merit Ibe
An entrepreneur, Livinus Okwara, has advised telecom regulatory bodies to prevent unjustified price increases and push for service quality improvements without financial burdens on consumers.
Okwara, who is the Chief Executive of Rimax Group, advocated for innovative solutions that balance operators’ needs with consumer affordability, noting that the tariff hike was mindless considering the current harsh economic situation in the country.
“Consumers desire measurable improvements in the quality of service before any tariff increases.”
He lamented that the worst-hit are phone users and businesses that get interrupted at any call, causing them to lose about 60 percent of their profits.
“The issue of network congestion, dropped calls, inconsistent internet speeds, unusual data depletion, and poor customer service have remained sources of concern.”
He queried why the government is taking time to solve this network issue that disrupts businesses.
“What began with increases in petrol, gas, transportation, interest rates, food, and power has now extended to telecommunications services.
“The tariff hike is mindless. Nigerian phone users and business owners are suffering while the telecommunication companies and those in power are enjoying. Why? “You are doing business, you are interrupted in your discussions.
You are at home, you are interrupted in your discussions due to network issues. The same thing goes for the power supply.”
He queried why the network issue has lingered, urging the government to identify the problem and resolve it for the good of all. “This crisis of poor network and poor power supply are not just economic challenges, threatening the very fabric of a society striving for development and stability. There should be urgent, innovative interventions to alleviate the burden on households and businesses.
We have not been getting enough and tangible service, we need enhancements of services. Why, then, should there be a sudden increase? “Individuals are not talking about it because they have been overwhelmed by them.”
He emphasized that telecom operators must prioritize improvements in network reliability, speed, accessibility, and customer service as part of any tariff adjustment. The rationale for the increase must be reflected in better services for consumers who rely on telecommunications for both personal and business purposes.
Okwara urged the government to pay attention to the voice of the masses in these difficult times, “because these hikes are disrupting businesses. It’s disrupting our social life. And it’s costing us almost 60% of our profits in business and bad public relations.”
He noted that the proposed strike action by Labour is not the best, as it will affect businesses and the economy.
He queried why the tariff increase instead of resolving the issues around the network and others.
“Instead of trying to solve the problem, they are increasing the tariff.
We’ve been obedient servants. They keep collecting trillions of money from poor masses without equal service.”
He noted that higher telecom costs threaten Nigeria’s vision of leveraging technology to drive economic revival.
“Affordable connectivity is a launchpad for progress in critical sectors,” adding that the price hike risks derailing advancements, undermining efforts to build a robust, technology-driven economy.
“Increasing telecommunications prices will exacerbate poverty and widen existing inequalities, hitting lower-income families the hardest.
“Workers who depend on affordable mobile data to access work opportunities may find it harder to stay connected.
Small businesses, which rely heavily on affordable telecommunications for operations, marketing, and customer engagement, will face additional strain.”
He suggested that regulators could collaborate with world-class telecommunication companies for improvement while supporting technological and economic growth.
“Consumers need to know what is going on and not be left in the dark, as transparency in telecom operators’ cost structures can also help consumers understand the rationale behind price adjustments, building trust and accountability.”
He called for the investigation of the telecommunications and power sectors, since they collect bills with no equal services, noting that in the days of NITEL, consumers paid less with huge service delivery.
“The two sectors should be investigated. But with these so-called telecommunication companies, they increase their bills without notice. Now, who is taking this money? Things are not improving.
Nigeria must get up. Progress does not mean punishment.”
Telecom operators must prioritize improvements in network reliability, speed, accessibility, and customer service as part of any tariff adjustment. The rationale for the increase must be reflected in better services for consumers who rely on telecommunications for both personal and business purposes.