Osamagbe Imadiyi
The Nigerian Communications Commission has yet to provide telecommunications operators with comprehensive guidelines that will specify the framework and details needed to execute the contentious 50% tariff increase.
The telecom regulator is expected to publish a “determination document,” which serves as a guide detailing the steps, terms, and conditions for implementing the approved tariff adjustments.
According to the NCC’s 2013 Cost Study, telecom operators would be permitted to modify prices within the N6.40 to N50 tariff bands under the new policy. Stakeholders who attended a virtual meeting last Monday when the hike was announced stated that the new tariff would go into effect in February.
Tony Emoekpere, the president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, clarified that the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 governs tariff adjustments and requires a methodical procedure to guarantee compliance and equity.
According to him, the document will be very helpful in directing operators and other interested parties on how to implement the changes and the expectations that go along with them.
“In contrast to market prices for tomatoes, which are subject to unrestricted changes, telecommunications tariffs are subject to stringent regulations,” he stated. “This process ends with the determination document, which offers the framework and implementation guidelines required.”
Tariff rates have not changed in over ten years, despite operators having to deal with growing expenses brought on by inflation, volatile exchange rates, and significant investments required to satisfy growing consumer demand.
According to Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, the price changes are a component of a well-established regulatory procedure.
The regulator was given an ultimatum by the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers on Friday, requesting that the tariff hike of 50% be reversed to 10% by Wednesday, January 29, 2025. In the event that the NCC does not respond favorably, subscribers plan to sue. It also urged the Nigerian Labour Congress to concentrate on its primary duty of safeguarding the welfare of its members, criticizing the organization for its planned demonstration.