|TELE-COMMUNICATION| Subscriber groups have issued an ultimatum to the Nigerian Communications Commission, demanding the reversal of the 50 per cent tariff hike to 10 per cent by Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers and the Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria have also criticised the Nigerian Labour Congress for its planned protest, urging the union to focus on its core mandate of protecting workers’ welfare.

While both advocacy groups recognise the financial burden posed by the tariff hike, particularly given the prevailing economic difficulties in the country, they oppose the NLC’s proposed protest actions, describing them as counterproductive.

The tariff increase, approved by the NCC on January 20, marked the first adjustment since 2013.

It raised the minimum cost of phone calls from N6.40 to N9.60 per minute, with the aim of addressing the widening gap between rising operational costs and revenues in the telecoms sector.

Telecoms operators had initially pushed for a 100 per cent hike, citing inflation and high operating expenses, but the NCC settled for a 50 per cent adjustment.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, NATCOMS, President Adeolu Ogunbanjo, disclosed that there had been an engagement with the NCC as he hoped the regulator would respond next week.

“We have made our appeals to the NCC, and we are giving them time to respond. We prefer not to involve the press just yet, but if we don’t hear back from them by Wednesday, we will release a communique outlining the details of our discussions with them and start filing our lawsuit.

“Our engagement with the NCC has been centred on asking them to bring the tariff down to our desired 10 per cent. However, we won’t disclose the contents of our letter or the specifics of our discussions unless we don’t receive a favourable response by Wednesday. If that happens, we will pursue the matter in a civil manner, potentially taking legal action,” he stated.

According to Ogunbanjo, telcos are private businesses that must be protected.

He, however, urged the NLC to pursue solutions that would balance the interests of both consumers and operators.

“The NLC should not target the telecom operators —they are not a government agency. These are private businesses, not government entities subject to shenanigans. We want to handle this matter in a businesslike, civil manner,” he added.

Phone call and messaging tariffs have remained static despite operators grappling with rising operational costs driven by inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, and the heavy investments required to meet growing consumer demand.

These mounting challenges have placed immense financial pressure on the telecommunications industry, threatening its sustainability and its critical role in supporting Nigeria’s digital economy.

The National President of the Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria, Sina Bilesanmi, urged the NLC president to focus on labour matters and refrain from interfering in telecoms issues.

“I have reviewed the NLC Act, and there is no provision empowering them to delve into telecom-related matters,” Bilesanmi said.

“The NLC president’s priority should remain the welfare of his union members, not matters outside their jurisdiction,” he told The PUNCH.

Bilesanmi noted that various advocacy groups, including his association, were already addressing consumer concerns within the telecommunications sector.

“We have been actively fighting for the rights of subscribers and ensuring their interests are protected,” he added.

Defending the association’s acceptance of the recent 50 per cent tariff hike, Bilesanmi explained that the decision was made to prevent the collapse of the telecom industry.

“We supported the increase because we want the industry to survive. A failing sector would result in job losses and widespread economic challenges,” he said.

However, he stressed that the association remained firm in its demand for improved service delivery.
|PUNCH|