MTN, GLO, AIRTEL Operations Face Pressure to Increase Tariffs Amid High Costs and Govt Policy

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) have hinted at the possibility of increasing telecommunication tariffs due to the unsustainability of the current tariff regime.

Newsflash Nigeria reports that this idea was discussed in a recent stakeholders’ meeting. In a statement obtained by journalists recently, ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, expressed the need for a price review to reflect the rising operating costs faced by operators.

He also lamented the burden of 52 taxes imposed on operators nationwide under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Daily Trust quoted Adebayo as stressing the urgency of addressing the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts owed to telecom operators by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), which have accumulated to N200 billion.

He stated that these debts must be settled, and the association would not hesitate to block debtor banks from accessing their services.

In response, the NCC Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, assured Adebayo of the support from stakeholders in the sector.

He emphasized the importance of setting timelines for resolving the issues discussed during the meeting.

Maida also pledged his commitment to the growth of the sector, aligning his actions with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Agenda and the policy guidelines outlined by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.

Recognizing the telecom sector’s critical role in the economy, Maida urged operators to implement measures that would ensure its sustainable growth.

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