The Grassroots Centre for Rights & Civic Orientation has strongly condemned the recent decision by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to approve a 50% hike in telecoms tariffs. This move is seen as arbitrary and insensitive to the current economic hardships faced by Nigerians.
According to Armsfree Ajanaku, Executive Director of the Grassroots Centre, the NCC’s decision is disheartening, especially given the poor quality of service provided by telecom operators. Mr. Ajanaku argues that the focus should be on improving the quality of service rather than increasing tariffs.
The NCC’s justification for the tariff hike cites the increasing cost of operations faced by telecom operators, as tariff rates have remained static since 2013. However, critics argue that this does not justify a 50% increase, especially considering the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
The tariff hike is expected to significantly impact Nigerians, with call rates increasing from N11 to N16.50k per minute, SMS costs rising from N4 to N6, and data costs increasing from N350 to N431.25k per gigabyte.
The Grassroots Centre has called for a reversal of the tariff hike and urged the NCC to provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring telecom operators deliver world-class services.
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