Tariff hike Archives - Page 2 of 3

NLC declares nationwide protest over telecom tariff hike, ₦70,000 minimum wage default

January 30, 2025January 30, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) has declared a nationwide protest over the recent hike in telecommunications tariffs and the Federal Government’s default on the ₦70,000 minimum wage. According to a communiqué issued after the National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the NLC yesterday, he protest is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Recall that the Federal Government approved a 50% increase after telecom operators initially requested a 100 percent hike. In response, the NLC on Friday called on Nigerians to prepare for a nationwide boycott of telecommunication…

SERAP sues FG, NCC over 50% telecoms tariff hike

January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has filed a lawsuit against the President Bola Tinubu administration and the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), over what it described as the “arbitrary, unconstitutional, unlawful, unfair, and unreasonable” 50% increase in telecom tariffs. Recall that the NCC recently approved the tariff hike, which raised the cost of a one-minute call from ₦11 to ₦16.5, the price of 1GB of data from ₦287.5 to ₦431.25, and SMS charges from ₦4 to ₦6. The hike has sparked widespread criticism, with SERAP leading legal opposition to…

Tariff Hike: “Govt. backing telcos for revenue, neglects Nigerians” – NLC

January 25, 2025January 25, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), has said the Federal Government is prioritising revenue generation over the welfare of citizens by supporting the recent 50% increase in telecommunications tariffs. The tariff hike, announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday, will see MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile charge more for calls and messages. The move, the first in 11 years justified by the need for telcos to cover inflation and the high cost of operations of over 300 per cent, has sparked outrage among citizens, with the NLC particularly calling…

Phone calls to cost ₦16.5/minute, data ₦431.25/1Gb, as NCC increases tariff by 50%

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 Aminu Imam

Nigerians will now pay ₦16.5 per minute for calls and ₦431.25 to subscribe to 1 giga-byte (GB) of data, following a 50% tariff hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) on Monday. Recall that Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, had hinted that telecom tariffs will go up by either 30 or 50 percent. His position came from a fallout of a meeting between him and operators who had proposed a 100% tariff increase. The latest telecom tariff hike approval comes 13 years after NCC announced price template…

SERAP gives Tinubu 48hrs to reverse 50% telecoms tariff hike

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has given President Bola Tinubu 48 hours to reverse the recent 50% telcos tariff hike. SERAP, in an issued statement, said failure to do so by the Tinubu administration means they will be charged in court. “The Tinubu administration and telcos must immediately reverse the unlawful increase in calls and data costs. We’ll see in court if the 50% tariff hike is not reversed within 48 hours”, SERAP said. Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on Monday approved the raising of the…

Telecoms: “Under new tariff, call rates to move from ₦11 to ₦18; ₦287 data bundle to ₦479″ – Minister

January 18, 2025January 18, 2025 Aminu Imam

Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has disclosed that the anticipated hike in telecom service prices may push the floor costs of calls, SMS, and data up by between 30 and 60%. This is less than the 100 percent that telecommunication firms have asked for. The Minister disclosed this recently while appearing on a television programme, where he insisted that the 100% increment requested by the telecom operators is impossible. The Minister noted that the increase will be between 30% and 60%. “It shouldn’t be more than…

Price of calls to rise, as FG agrees to tariff hike

January 9, 2025January 9, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Federal Government has agreed to demands for tariff hikes in the telecommunication industry. Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this yesterday, during an ‘Industry Stakeholder Forum’, in Abuja. This is expected in the coming weeks, as the Government aims to address sustainability challenges in the telecom sector. This implies that prices of calls, data and SMS will go up for the average Nigerian. However, the hike will fall short of the 100 percent increase requested by service providers, with the Government seeking to balance sector…

NCC debunks reports of 40% Telecom tariff hike

December 30, 2024December 30, 2024 Aminu Imam

…Says its “fake news” The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), has refuted recent reports alleging it approved a 40 percent increase in telecom tariffs, labeling the claims as false and misleading. Recall that there had earlier been reports on social media that the Commission had approved the proposal for a 40% increase in tariffs for services rendered by telecommunications service providers beginning in January 2025. The reports claimed that this will translate into ₦15.40 per minute for telephone calls and ₦5.60 for Short Message Service (SMS). It added that data bundles,…

MTN, Airtel, 9Mobile to raise prices in 2025 after NCC approval

December 25, 2024December 25, 2024 Aminu Imam

The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), has approved a long-awaited telecom tariff hike, ending over a decade of lobbying by major operators like MTN Nigeria, Airtel, and 9Mobile. New rates for calls, SMS, and internet bundles will take effect in January 2025, with tariffs expected to rise by up to 40%. Under the revised structure, call charges will increase from ?11 to ?15.40 per minute, SMS costs will rise from ?4 to ?5.60, and a 1GB data bundle will cost at least ?1,400, up from ?1,000. This marks the end of…

MTN will shut down in Nigeria without tariff hike’ � CEO

October 23, 2024October 23, 2024 Aminu Imam

MTN Nigeria, the country�s largest telecom operator, ‘has stressed the urgent need for the telecommunications sector to return to profitability to sustain its operations. Chief Executive Officer of MTN, Karl Toriola, made this known on Monday during a tour of MTN�s facilities by Fellows of the Media Innovation Programme, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. This development follows the telecom operators’ persistent call for tariff increases in response to economic challenges. The CEO said, �There should be no delusion; if the tariff doesn�t go up we will shut down�, adding that the telco…