Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has confirmed that telecommunications tariffs in the country will soon increase.
However, he assured Nigerians that the hike will not reflect the 100 percent increase currently being proposed by mobile network operators (MNOs).
Dr. Tijani disclosed this at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting with telecom operators held on Wednesday in Abuja. He noted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is finalizing a study on the proposed tariff adjustments and will announce the approved rates in the coming weeks.
“You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariffs. They are requesting a 100 percent tariff increase,” Tijani said. “But it will not be by 100 percent. We are still looking at that study, and NCC will come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it.”
The minister emphasized the need for a balanced approach to safeguard consumers while ensuring that telecom companies remain profitable and capable of making necessary investments in infrastructure.
“We want to strike the balance as a government to protect our people but also protect and ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly,” he stated.
Dr. Tijani also highlighted the government’s commitment to reducing its reliance on private-sector investments for telecommunications infrastructure, which, he noted, has often been driven by short- to medium-term returns.
“As a country, over time, we have left this investment in the hands of the private sector. They typically invest where they can see returns in the short to medium term,” he explained.
He also urged Nigerians to consider the broader context of improving service quality and meaningful connectivity, noting that significant investments in infrastructure are required to deliver high-quality services.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, also spoke at the meeting, noting that the proposed tariff adjustments are part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of the telecom industry.
“We have looked at all of these factors, and that is why, like the minister said, it is not likely that we are going to approve a 100 percent tariff increase,” Maida said.
He added that the NCC is simplifying tariff templates to make charges more transparent for Nigerians.
“We are moving away from the regime where you will have a main rate, and then you will now have a bonus that is at a different rate. It makes it often complicated and difficult for Nigerians to actually understand what they are being charged for,” Maida explained.
The NCC has also revised its quality of service regulations to ensure compliance from telecom operators. Maida noted that MNOs must clearly show Nigerians the charges per minute for voice calls, SMS, and a megabyte of data.
Dr. Maida said the NCC is still engaging stakeholders to finalize the details of the tariff increase and promised an official announcement within the next two weeks.
“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagement that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two,” he said.
