50% Tariff Hike Excessive,Telecom Subscribers Cry Out

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) says the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has refused to honour its appeal to reduce its 50 per cent tariff hike approval to 10 per cent.

National President Deolu Ogunbanjo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the appeal was made in a letter sent to the NCC chief executive officer on January 24.

Ogunbanjo said the letter of appeal proposed a maximum tariff hike of 10 per cent as a more balanced measure, allowing operators to generate revenue while minimising the burden on consumers. According to him, the 50 per cent tariff hike approval is an overkill.

He said as the NCC had refused to honour its appeal, the association would be filing a case in court to contest the tariff hike approval given to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) by the commission.

The NATCOMS chief also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its proposed February 4 protest on tariff hike, and rather embrace dialogue. Ogunbanjo said:

“The proposed 50 per cent hike is expected to have far-reaching implications. “Small businesses may be forced to shut down, while larger businesses may pass the increased costs to consumers.

“Students who rely on data for academic purposes may face significant disruptions to their learning.

“Senior citizens who depend on telecommunications services to stay in touch with loved ones may be forced to revert to outdated communication methods.”