Minister: Telecom tariffs won’t be increased by 100%

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, says telecom tariffs will soon increase but not by 100 per cent.

Tijani made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Abuja on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Tijani said consultations and engagements were ongoing on the issue, adding that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will soon approve and make the new tariffs public to Nigerians.

He stated: “You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariffs. They are requesting for 100 per cent tariff increase.

“But it will not be by 100 per cent; the NCC will soon come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it.

“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.”

Tijani noted that there was a need to ensure that the telecommunication sector get its acts together to ensure that the right regulations are put in place to ensure the growth of this sector.

The minister also said the federal government would no longer leave investments on infrastructure in the sector to private companies alone.

Tijani added: “As a country, over time, we have left this investments in the hands of the private sector. They typically invest where they can see returns in the short to medium term.

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“We will not want this conversation to just be about tariff increase. What the world is talking about today is meaningful connectivity, people want to have access to quality service.

“A part of it that the consumers may not be aware of is the investment that needs to go into the infrastructure that is used to deliver these services.”

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the meeting with the stakeholders was about the sustainability of the industry.

Maida said: “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 100 per cent tariff increase.

“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagements that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two.”

Also speaking, the CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, who was represented by the Airtel spokesperson, Femi Adeniran, said the economic realities of rising operational and capital costs necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments.

Balsingh stated that for the telecommunication companies to deliver superior connectivity and foster digital inclusion, there is need for tariff increment.

The Star