Telecom operators have revealed that they are preparing new tariffs to reflect the 50 per cent hike following approval from the federal government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
According to the service providers, the full introduction of the new tariffs will commence in March 2025.
While speaking with journalists, content creators and other stakeholders in Lagos during the weekend, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo disclosed that the operators would issue their tariffs differently.
Adebayo added that they were filing, reviewing and obtaining approvals from the regulator.
“So, we are now following what is called the regulatory requirement, regulatory steps of filing, reviewing and obtaining approvals.
“As soon as those approvals come through, different players will introduce new rates as the time comes. I’ll say over next week, we start seeing some improvement in the prices,” he stated.
Adebayo noted that tariff hike was imperative for the survival of the telecommunications sector as the government c should not rely on the sector to subsidise others.
“The other side of it is that the sector cannot be the subsidy for other sectors. Our cost should be reflective of the economy. Telecoms can’t be used as palliative.
“So, you can’t say because the costs of garri, pepper and okra have gone up, we now have to subsidise peoples’ living by providing services that are sold at lower than cost. It’s a matter of time before we start seeing the negatives.
“I think it is important that we need to charge rates that are sustainable, and we can’t stand as a subsidy for the problems of people in other sectors, which is not the problem caused by the operators,” he said.