Finally, MTN, Airtel, Others Set to Increase Call, Data Tariffs in Early 2025
- Telecommunication companies in Nigeria are currently eyeing early 2025 for the implementation of higher tariffs on call and data
- Sources claim the Nigerian Communications Commission could authorise this adjustment within the first quarter of 2025
- Telcos operating in Nigeria have long pushed for price adjustments to align with prevailing economic conditions
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the Stock Market.
Telecom companies may secure approval to raise call and data charges by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
The information is according to a senior executive at one of the leading telecom firms.
Source: UGC
Speaking anonymously, the executive revealed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) could authorise tariff increases for voice calls, SMS, and internet services.
If approved, it would signify the culmination of more than a decade of advocacy by major industry players, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel, and 9Mobile, who have long pushed for price adjustments to align with prevailing economic conditions.
Daily Trust notes that telecom operators have not been permitted to adjust their prices for the past 11 years despite escalating operational expenses fueled by inflation.
It would be recalled earlier calls for tariff increase had been met with resistance from Nigerians through the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS).
The top official said:
“We strongly hope that our approval to increase tariffs has been granted by the federal government. We hear they will allow us to do some upward review of tariffs by the first quarter of 2025. This sector is seriously bleeding; no new investment because of soaring operating costs. Some of us are already making losses. We just hope the sector will not be allowed to die."
According to industry insiders, telecom tariffs may see an increase of up to 40%.
This would raise the cost of a one-minute call from N11 to N15.40, while SMS charges could climb from N4 to N5.60. Similarly, the price of a 1GB data bundle is expected to rise from N1,000 to at least N1,400.
Despite the challenges the telecom sector has faced throughout the year, Gbenga Adebayo, President of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), maintains that implementing cost-reflective pricing will encourage investment and enhance service quality over time.
CBN, NCC order banks to pay USSD debt
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the NCC and the CBN had directed banks to settle the long-running N250 billion Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt dispute with telecom companies.
The regulator and the apex bank required banks to pay 85% of all outstanding invoices by December 31, 2024, for debts originating after February 2022.
They also required banks to ensure that 85% of future invoices are paid within a month of issuance.
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Source: Legit.ng
