BY KASE GREATNESS/ RITA OYIBOKA
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced a significant increase in communication tariffs, leaving millions of Nigerians concerned about the implications for their daily lives.
The approved 50 per cent hike in telecom services is set to affect not only businesses but also the everyday citizens who rely on affordable communication to stay connected with family, access education, and engage in the expanding digital economy.
Upon implementation, Nigerians can expect to pay N16.5 per minute for calls, up from N11, while the cost of sending an SMS will rise to N6 from N4. Additionally, the price of one gigabyte of data will now be N431.25.
Speaking with The Pointer, an Asaba-based photographer and cyber café owner, Daniel Nnamdi highlighted the essential role of internet services in his business operations and the effects the tarriff hike would have.
“Our work heavily relies on online platforms for everything from concept development to customer engagement. While most customers prefer digital copies, any increase in internet services could shift them back to hard copies,” he explained.
Nnamdi expressed concern about the rise in data tariffs, which will increase operational costs.
“This may force us to raise our package prices, impacting not only my business and employees but also our customers, particularly those with lower disposable incomes. Higher data charges could limit their access to our services.”
An Ibusa-based Photographer, Mr. Great Ego shared a similar plight. “I spend ₦36,000 every three months for 300gb of data, and it doesn’t even last. Sending videos of between 300mb to 500mb per file to clients often takes up much data.
The subscription I made on January 9th, 2025 for 300GB is already down to 114GB, and it’s only mid-January. Additionally, I have assistants whose 30GB subscriptions don’t last a week. This increase means I’ll spend and charge more.”
The situation is even more dire for students and small-scale entrepreneurs who rely on affordable data for education and business growth. A student of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Jessica Emegha laments, “I use data to do research, assignments, download e-books and get school information. With this new hike, education will have an increased cost. I don’t know how I’ll cope.”
Meanwhile, Digital skills tutor, Miss Ada Okunwa shared; “This increase will hit everyone hard, especially those unable to absorb these costs. For individuals relying on affordable data for online teaching, this could create significant challenges. Many of my students struggle to afford their own mobile data or rely on their parents so the tariff hike will definitely cause a challenge.”
In an immediate ripple effect, Point of Sales (POS) operators have indicated plans to increase their service charges in response to the tariff hike.
The National spokesperson for the Association of Mobile Money & Bank Agents in Nigeria, Ogungbayi Ganiyu addressed these concerns in an interview, yesterday.
Ganiyu noted that the 50 per cent increase in telecom charges would significantly impact their members, whose services are primarily centred around telecom services, especially data.
“The telecom tariff hike will affect our operations, and I fear it may lead to increased service charges. While we have yet to fully assess the situation, our members may choose to absorb some of the increased costs,” he said.
