50% Tariff Hike: Subscribers Speak on Next Line of Action After Failing to Reach Truce with NCC
- In a resolute attempt to halt the contentious 50% increase in call and data fees, advocacy organisations and telecom customers are bringing the matter to court
- According to the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, the NCC disregarded their proposal to reduce the tariff increase to a 10%
- Critics have expressed grave worries about the rate rise, which was announced Monday and is the first modification in almost a decade
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5 years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
Following failed attempts to engage the Nigerian Communications Commission, telecom consumers and advocacy groups are taking the controversial 50% rise in call and data charges to the courts in a determined effort to stop it.
Source: Getty Images
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers said that it will file a lawsuit against the telecom regulator, claiming that the NCC had ignored its request to lower the tariff increase to a more manageable 10% according to a recent Punch report.
The rate increase, which was recently announced and is the first change in more than ten years, has raised serious concerns among critics, including the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.
According to these organizations, which include NATCOMS, the hike makes the already difficult economic situation worse by disproportionately harming low-income people and small enterprises that are already having a hard time navigating rising inflation and an unstable economy.
Subscribers react
Initiating negotiations through email, the subscriber organization, which represents 157 million Nigerians who depend on reasonably priced telecom services, asked the NCC to reevaluate its positions within three working days. But the regulator didn't.
The NCC's failure to address its request, according to NATCOMS President Adeolu Ogunbanjo, who spoke to the PUNCH on Tuesday, has caused consumers to become more disillusioned with the growing expense of telecom services.
Ogunbanjo stated,
“We gave them until the end of the day (Tuesday) to respond. Since we have not received any response, we are moving forward with the court process starting tomorrow (Wednesday).
According to Ogunbanjo, the letter to NCC emphasised the hardship that the 50% increase places on customers, particularly those with lower incomes who depend on reasonably priced communication services for day-to-day operations.
The NATCOMS president said,
“Our National Secretary informed us that the NCC has until 11:59 pm today (Tuesday) to respond. They can still reply through their website, which is available 24/7, but with no word from them, we are left with no choice but to proceed with legal action.”
With the plea letter set to be made public tomorrow, the association's decision to proceed with legal action is now imminent.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project also filed a case against President Bola Tinubu's government last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, adding to the growing legal pressure on the NCC. The rights group characterized the tariff increase as "unreasonable, unfair, illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional."
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/111/2025, SERAP is asking the court to determine whether the NCC’s decision to authorise the tariff hike violates Nigerians’ freedom of expression and access to information.
“The unilateral decision by the NCC to authorise telcos to hike telecom tariffs by 50 per cent is arbitrary and inconsistent with constitutional guarantees,” SERAP said in its filing.
NCC clears the air on fast data depletion
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NCC refuted allegations of widespread data depletion on mobile networks in Nigeria following a recent evaluation of telecom services.
According to the NCC, the assessment showed no substantial evidence of data depletion, contrary to subscribers' concerns and complaints.
Legit.ng previously reported that mobile network subscribers in Nigeria frequently complained about the fast depletion rate of internet data.
Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
Source: Legit.ng
