Nigerians may soon experience an increase in the cost of telecom services, with the price of 1GB of data potentially rising to N560 under a proposed tariff adjustment.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, during a recent appearance on national TV, revealed that while telecom operators were pushing for a 100 per cent hike in tariffs, the government was only considering an increment of between 30 and 60 per cent.
If a 60 per cent increase is approved, the average cost of phone calls will rise from N11 to N17.6 per minute, SMS charges will increase from N4 to N6.4, and the cost of 1GB of data will jump from N350 to N560.
The clamour for an increase follows the escalating operating costs due to inflation, naira devaluation, and an unstable economic environment.
MTN Nigeria revealed that telecommunications companies were seeking a 100 per cent tariff increase, but it remains uncertain whether the Nigerian Communications Commission—the telecom regulator, will approve the proposal.
The disclosure was made by the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, who said the proposed tariff hike was necessary for the sustainability of the industry which has been facing significant financial pressures due to rising operational costs.
However, Tijani insisted that a 100 per cent increase would be detrimental to citizens who rely heavily on telecom services.
The minister explained that the government was focused on striking a balance between protecting Nigerians and ensuring that telecommunications companies could continue to invest significantly in the sector.