Telecom tariff hike forces Nigerians to rethink lifestyle choices – Reports

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Eight months after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50 per cent tariff increase on telecom end-user services, subscribers say the move has forced them to adjust their daily habits.

Despite strong resistance from organized labour and subscriber groups, the NCC, in a January 20, 2025 statement, defended its decision, noting that the approval was granted “pursuant to its power under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA) to regulate and approve tariff rates and charges by telecommunications operators.”

According to the Commission, “The adjustment, capped at a maximum of 50 per cent of current tariffs, though lower than the over 100 per cent requested by some network operators, was arrived at taking into account ongoing industry reforms that will positively influence sustainability.”

Subscribers, however, lament that the expected improvements in service quality have yet to materialise. Many now switch off their mobile data more often, cut down on data usage, or avoid unnecessary calls. Instead, they increasingly rely on internet-based Over-The-Top (OTT) services for communication.

The Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) confirmed that many of its members have had to significantly increase spending on data and voice calls.

Its president, Sina Bilesanmi, emphasised the importance of telecom services, saying, “Telecom has become an indispensable part of modern life because it has demolished all the fetters that come with distance.”

He explained further, “It has not been easy, but we acquiesced to the hike because we chose industry survival over personal self-aggrandisement. We chose national interest because any disruption to the sector will affect the economy, including national security.”

Bilesanmi added that the rise in costs has forced subscribers to rethink their consumption habits. “But be that as it may, we have been making adjustments to our lifestyle. As you know, data has become the engine of life. So we are more affected by the increase in data prices,” he said.

According to him, members have resorted to cutting out data-draining apps and becoming more disciplined with usage. “We now apply this aphorism: cut your coat according to your size. We now cut our cloth according to our sizes by reducing our data consumption. Those of us previously doing N5,000 monthly now do N2000. For instance, I now do N800 for two days,” he revealed.

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