The National Association of Telecommunication Subscribers (NATCOMS) has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to penalize telecom operators for allegedly violating an agreement regarding tariff increases.
Speaking on Wednesday, NATCOMS President Deolu Ogunbanjo stated that any operator implementing the recent tariff hike was acting in breach of an agreement between the NCC and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Following opposition from the NLC, the federal government established a 10-man committee to review the proposed tariff adjustments and provide recommendations within two weeks before any final decision.
Ogunbanjo emphasized that the NCC had committed to holding a stakeholders’ meeting with the NLC, telecom users, and service providers to discuss the tariff hike.
However, the meeting had yet to take place, and the agreed two-week period had not elapsed before telecom companies started implementing the 50% increase.
“This is a clear violation, and those responsible should face sanctions,” he said.
He further revealed that NATCOMS had been prepared to challenge the tariff hike in court but decided to await the outcome of the stakeholders’ meeting based on legal advice from its national general secretary.
“If the meeting has not been held, why should the tariff hike take effect? The NCC must take immediate action against the operators for disregarding due process,” Ogunbanjo insisted.
A check on the *312# code for MTN’s data plans confirmed the price adjustments. The 1.8GB monthly plan now costs ₦1,500, replacing the former 1.5GB plan priced at ₦1,000. The 15GB plan now sells for ₦6,500 instead of ₦4,500, while the 20GB plan has increased to ₦7,500 from ₦5,500. Additionally, SMS rates across all networks have risen from ₦4 to ₦6.
In January, the NCC approved a maximum 50% tariff adjustment for telecom operators, citing rising operational costs.
However, the commission rejected operators’ initial request for a 100% increase. The decision was made under the authority of Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, which empowers the NCC to regulate and approve telecom tariffs.
Despite this, NATCOMS has threatened legal action against the NCC, while the NLC has vowed to launch an industrial action if the tariff hike is not reviewed downward. This led the federal government to set up a committee to assess the situation before any final implementation.
However, with telecom firms proceeding with the increase, the NLC has issued a March 1 deadline, warning of a complete shutdown of telecom operations if the hike is not reversed.
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