The Federal Government through the Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, is currently in discussions with representatives from major telecommunications companies in Nigeria to address increasing pressures to raise telecom tariffs.
The meeting includes stakeholders from MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile, as well as key government regulatory agencies, such as the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
The talks, which began earlier today, are aimed at finding a middle ground between the telecom companies’ request for higher tariffs and the government’s regulatory framework.
Telecom operators argue that current economic conditions, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating exchange rate of the naira, make tariff adjustments necessary to maintain operations.
Despite these concerns, the Nigerian government has urged telecom companies to adhere to the 2013 tariff price floor before implementing any increases.
This stance is meant to protect consumers from potentially burdensome hikes.
The ongoing discussions come amid opposition from consumer advocacy groups like NATCOMS, who argue that any tariff increases would further strain Nigerians already facing economic challenges. The future of telecom pricing in the country will be determined through continued deliberations in the coming days, with a focus on balancing the interests of both the telecom industry and Nigerian consumers.
