₦airaland Forum

Telecom tariffs to rise in 2025 as NCC greenlights price increases.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved a long-pending proposal for telecom tariff hikes, with new rates for calls, SMS, and internet bundles expected to take effect in January 2025. [b]This marks the end of over a decade of lobbying by telecom giants like MTN Nigeria, Airtel, and 9Mobile, who have called for price adjustments to reflect economic realities. Despite soaring operational costs driven by headline inflation, telecom operators have been unable to raise prices for 11 years.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) confirmed to TechCabal that further details of the tariff adjustments would be shared in an official announcement.

“This announcement will benefit the subscribers and operators because we have taken into account the proposals from the industry and the public,” an NCC spokesperson told TechCabal.

According to the existing proposals, telecoms tariffs could rise by up to 40%. If adopted, the cost of a phone call will increase from ₦11 to ₦15.40 per minute and SMS charges will rise from ₦4 to ₦5.60. For data plans, the price of a 1GB bundle will increase from ₦1,000 to at least ₦1,400.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, acknowledged the need for price adjustments, stating: “We think there may be a need for that” in a December 20 interview on Arise TV.

The NCC is responsible for reviewing and approving tariffs adjustments in the telecommunications industry. In October 2024, it rejected Starlink’s application to double subscription fees to ₦75,000. While the commission aims to balance the financial burden on subscribers, it also recognises that the industry’s operational challenges could affect service quality and investment.

Rising food inflation (39.93%) complicates the telecom tariff increase, with concerns that it could reduce internet usage in a country where digital inclusion is a priority. However, the current situation has led to significant financial losses for the telcos.

MTN Nigeria, for instance, reported a ₦137 billion loss in 2023, with losses expanding to ₦514.9 billion in the first nine months of 2024. Airtel Africa also reported losses of $89 million in FY 2024, largely driven by challenges in Nigeria.

Despite the grim outlook in the telecoms sector for much of the year, President of the Association of Licenced Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Gbenga Adebayo argues that cost-reflective prices will incentivise investment and help improve quality in the long run.

Source: https://techcabal.com/2024/12/23/telecom-tariff-hike-approved/

VikingKing:
They should wait until after I commit suicide

. . Very funny.. Useless networks

Is 9mobile still alive

Na this festive period you go know which network be network.

If your service provider no dey your village na net you dey use, no be network.

And the suffering continues.

Make you kuku kill us nah
Bunch of thieves

Is 9Mobile still alive?

Na that Starlink own dey pain me pass.


...but wait o, isn't 9mobile a dead Telco?

VikingKing:
They should wait until after I commit suicide

All these companies employ Nigerians and need to pay them the kind of wage that would enable them survive this tpain economy

If increasing tarrifs helps them do so, so be it.

Nothing is free. We all gotta cut our coat according to size

VikingKing:
They should wait until after I commit suicide

.. you be like "if life is Nollywood movie, then to God be the glory".

Na 2025 opening ceremony be this....it is well

Everything scatter scatter, embrace for impact 2025 season 2 of ,T-pain

The ROT & EVIL in every sector in Nigeria ehn.

They keep raising their Prices yet most of their Field Workers are being impoverished daily. Very useless people.

Imagine many Field Workers are still on same Salary Scale since year 2015. Most Jobs are being contracted out to EVIL Nigeria people.

Most of you don't know about the EVIL going on in Nigeria.

peculiar2233:
Make you kuku kill us nah
Bunch of thieves

If you were running a business and your running costs are going up because of the economic miracle of apc, what would you do?

Keep your prices low and go out of business because you do not want to be called a thief?

Everybody has to have a share in the bad choices some people have made. What a suffering and smiling nation. To get Nigeria working isn't a rocket science. We all know the reason we're here today and the trend will only continue, while the masses keep suffering. Bigotry is a self-curable disease.

VikingKing:
They should wait until after I commit suicide

Commit suicide and japa to hell.

Nigerians make una Endurance

Loveenthed:
The ROT & EVIL in every sector in Nigeria ehn.

They keep raising their Prices yet most of their Field Workers are being impoverished daily. Very useless people. The Ogun that will kill every people pocketing the Glor

And you think they are not increasing their prices to pay the workers better?

Plus you want better service. We have to upgrade to 5G, even 6G.You think that comes cheap?

Life is not fair. People want to be paid.

nairalanda1:
And you think they are not increasing their prices to pay the workers better?

Plus you want better service. We have to upgrade to 5G, even 6G.You think that comes cheap?

Life is not fair. People want to be paid.

Oga don't ever quote me again.

I'm talking as someone who is in Telecom and have firsthand information.

What do you know. Please move away, let me see front.

2025 tighten your seat belt

nairalanda1:
If you were running a business and your running costs are going up because of the economic miracle of apc, what would you do?

Keep your prices low and go out of business because you do not want to be called a thief?

Keep asking me nonsense questions

Long expected. As more tax is underway

Abeg o, do you still have coats to cut to your size in this T.Pain era of depression and deprivation?

nairalanda1:
All these companies employ Nigerians and need to pay them the kind of wage that would enable them survive this tpain economy

If increasing tarrifs helps them do so, so be it.

Nothing is free. We all gotta cut our coat according to size

Ok

Mathewrichard99:
Abeg o, do you still have coats to cut to your size in this T.Pain era of depression and deprivation?

So let them not increase tarrifs then.

The problem is, their workers will.japa abroad to go and find better opportunity and more money.

And you will end up with bad service.

Plus they won't be able to afford upgrades.

This is life. You won't work for free, so why should you expect others to because economy hard?

Na sporty go determine if I go do Christmas or not....

nairalanda1:
All these companies employ Nigerians and need to pay them the kind of wage that would enable them survive this tpain economy

If increasing tarrifs helps them do so, so be it.

Nothing is free. We all gotta cut our coat according to size

God punish you bro
As if it is not the government that you’re supporting that is killing these businesses

Small yansh da shake

Even 9mobile with their extremely poor services want to increase.

The butterfly that calls itself a bird

peculiar2233:
Keep asking me nonsense questions

Well , they can keep prices low and the quality of service will suffer because no money for upgrades and no money for wage increase for staff.

Your choice