Following moves by telecoms operators to hike tariffs of their services, the Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, held a crucial meeting with representatives of major telecommunications companies.
The high-level meeting, Forefront News gathered was aimed at addressing mounting pressures by the Telecoms Operators for an increase in tariffs, with a view to finding a common ground and balance between the government regulatory stance and that of the operators.
Those in attendance at the crucial meeting included the representatives from MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, 9Mobile, and key regulatory agencies of the Federal Government such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The telecom operators are hinging their position on the current economic realities that have affected their business which included, “the removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the Naira vis-a-viz the exchange rate of the Dollars which necessitated adjustments in tariffs to meet up with operating cost and overhead.
Forefront News gathered from a dependable source at the meeting that the representatives of the Federal Government tasked the Telecoms Operators to first take into consideration the existing 2013 tariff price floor before pushing for the any tariff increases.
This was just as consumer advocacy groups, such as NATCOMS, have vehemently objected to the proposed hike, owing to what they described as “affordability challenges” for Nigerians who are already over burdened by economic hardships.
The meeting it was further gathered adjourned to allow for more discussion that would allow for a more realistic and acceptable position for all the stakeholders.
