The Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria) has firmly rejected the proposed telecom tariff increase of 30 to 60 percent, presented by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani. The advocacy group, which represents over 220 million subscribers across the country, voiced concerns that the proposal contradicts a recent agreement made with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other key stakeholders.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ATCIS-Nigeria’s National President, ‘Sina Bilesanmi, highlighted that during a meeting held on January 9, 2025, all parties involved had agreed that no tariff hike would take place until a thorough consultation process with subscribers was completed. He stressed that the minister’s proposal went against this consensus, which had emphasized the need for further deliberation before any price adjustments.
“We believe telecom operators must respect the role of subscriber advocacy bodies like ATCIS and adhere to the NCC Act,” Bilesanmi said. “The NCC should direct telecom operators to first consult with ATCIS for engagement and enlightenment before any pricing decisions are made. Once an agreement is reached, we can seek public input on the percentage increase, followed by NCC approval.”
Bilesanmi noted that the stakeholders’ meeting had tasked mobile network operators (MNOs) to organize enlightenment programs to address tariff issues with subscriber representatives before approaching the NCC with any proposed price hikes. However, Tijani, in a recent interview with Arise TV, revealed that MNOs had pushed for a 100% tariff increase to stabilize the sector. The government, however, rejected this, proposing a more moderate increase of 30 to 60 percent.
Despite the government’s position, ATCIS-Nigeria strongly opposed the idea of unilateral decisions on telecom pricing. “It is not the minister’s role to set telecom prices in a liberalized market,” Bilesanmi stated, stressing the need for proper regulatory processes involving data-driven analysis and consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
The group further warned that such a tariff hike would disproportionately affect Nigerians, particularly small business owners who rely on affordable telecom services. Bilesanmi added that the increase would worsen the economic strain on citizens already grappling with the effects of other financial reforms.
“The government’s push for a digital economy cannot succeed if we burden Nigerians with higher telecom costs,” Bilesanmi said. “This will have a devastating impact on businesses that depend on affordable communication services to thrive and will ultimately slow down the country’s digital transformation.”
ATCIS-Nigeria has urged the government to prioritize stakeholder consultation to ensure that any tariff adjustments align with the needs of subscribers and do not harm the broader economy. The group called for a more transparent and inclusive process to ensure fair and balanced pricing decisions in the telecom sector.
