Dear Minister,


Let me start by saying statements such as brace up for data increase are inflammatory (see article at https://www.nairaland.com/3505411/minister-advises-nigerians-brace-telecom). The likes of those statements is what turns Nigerians to disrespect govt personalities online.

Before going too far, let me also tell you to stop threatening us with data price hike. If you are sure of yourself and bold enough, then go ahead and increase it. Nigerians will not die, it is your govt that will die. Sani Abacha did worse things, the first coming of Buhari dealt worse to Nigerians, today they are in the history of 'evils of Nigeria'.

So go ahead and make the cheapest data to be 90k per MB.

In a country where people live under $.40 (40c) a day, 90k data will mean 1GB will be at least N900.

You go on talking about the need to protect small operators, that is not an intelligent argument. Why?

1. Did you (NCC/Danbatta) protect cybercafes when mobile phones came in? Do you know that your mobile telcom operators etc that you claim you want to protect now brought an end to thousands of small businesses (cybercafes) and millions of people in that industry? Where was the NCC then?

2. Did you (NCC/Danbatta/Shittu) protect wired/wireless ISPs from the mobile operators? where is Ross Clayton Limited (1st Internet operator in Nigeria), where is Linkserve? Where is Hyperia? Where is Skannet (Ibadan) and several other guys who invested in your 'bloody' space and brought tech to your space when it was stinking and no one will touch it?

It is not your fault that you are 'jumping gun'; some industry knowledge and an understanding of the market is needed here. You are referencing NITEL as in[i] (He said the NCC did not set any price ceiling but provided a price law.
Dambatta added, “ We stepped in when we noticed a price war in the sector. The price war was already reaching undesirable level that we had to step in to prevent a monopoly like the days of NITEL.”)[/i]. That is a very horrible argument.

Let us examine the table as it stands.

Is it MTN that is the data monopoly?
Is it Glo?
Is it Spectranet?

I laugh at your thinking and reasoning. Who are the players you are trying to protect? Let me ask you how much 1 Megabit dedicated links cost. Do you know how many GB can flow through a 1mb channel in a day? Do you know how much money data providers make?

When I was buying 64k dedicated links at $1,100 and selling access at N150 per hour who protected me and the thousand others?

See I can go on and on to show you that there are 1,001 and things NCC should be doing; but making 1GB to be at least N900 should be very far from your thinking.

I currently buy 18GB from Glo at 4,000. I waste most of it retrying page loads and downloads. I tried MTN N25 night thing, it was a waste of sleep and I stopped when I won't even get 25MB. I tried Airtel who will take 38MB for a 12MB file I downloaded. I tried Spectranet where I will pay N10,000 for 20GB. It has made me 'poorer'; and I am not into MMM so I have to stop the subscription.


So now you want Glo to charge me +N16,200 for 18GB, and Spectranet +N18,000 for 20GB, that Airtel would be N8,100 4.5GB or so/9GB (when they are happy they claim they offer you double).

I am currently hustling (meaning unemployed). I have to bear with your bro in the other place (CBN) taking away Mastercard which we use to buy the domains and hosting we use. It is only hope in God that is left for Nigerians. That is why those who can't go into crimes haven't commited suicide.

So wherever the three of you and all others who are bent on making life hard for millions of people are, always think of the fact that there are several people who are affected already as things are.

Don't think democracy is the only option. No. Don't think military govt is the other impossible option. Anarchy and chaos is a form of govt. Don't think a NaijaSpring is not possible. It is thinking some things are impossible that made Trump a US president-elect.

If the laughed at, scorned, derided Trump could become America's president, you all may not be in portfolio by end of the year? Talkless of your party winning in 2019.

Like I said, go ahead. We won't die. Make 1GB N3,000. It is your shame, your shameful change legacy. Carry on with it. By the way I nominate you for non-performing minister award 2016.

Yours faithfully
The one and only Priest.

WELL WRITTEN