Mobile phone tariffs to go up

Telephone tariffs will soon go up, following Federal Government’s approval of the request by telecom operators.

The approval was conveyed yesterday by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani during a meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

The new tariffs regime is likely to begin next month as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulator of the sector, plans to release the guidelines latest by end of the month.

Telephone tariffs were last increased about a decade ago.

Operators’ bid for approval to raise tariffs grew louder since 2022.

In recent weeks, chief executives of MTN Nigeria Karl Toriola  and Airtel Nigeria Dinesh Balsingh personally canvassed the increase in tariff to “save the industry”.

At yesterday’s meeting, Tijani said the approval being considered by the Federal Government through the NCC had become imperative to stimulate growth and investments in the sector.

The MNOs have been pushing for, at least,100 per cent tariffs hike, but the government said yesterday it won’t approve up to that.

Tijani insisted that the increase would not be 100 per cent as being pushed by the operators.

At the meeting was the NCC Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Dr. Aminu Wada Maida.

According to him, consultations and engagements were on-going on the matter, noting that “very soon, the NCC would approve the new tariffs and make it public to Nigerians.

THE NATION