By Our Reporter
Nigerians have expressed relief following the House of Representatives’ directive to the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to halt any plans to increase the tariffs on telecom services.
This move came after members of the House convened at a plenary session in Abuja on Tuesday, where it was decided that the tariff hike would be postponed due to the severe economic strain on Nigerians, exacerbated by rising inflation.
Dr. Tijani had previously announced during a stakeholders’ meeting in January 2025 that consultations were underway regarding a potential tariff increase. Some telecommunications companies had advocated for hikes as high as 100 percent. However, the minister assured that the final increase would be less than this figure, with the NCC set to approve and announce the new tariffs at a later date.
Obuku Oforji, a representative from Bayelsa State, who moved the motion at the plenary session, expressed concerns about the social and economic implications of the proposed tariff hike. He warned that such an increase would deepen the financial struggles of average Nigerians, undermine efforts to leverage technology for economic growth, and exacerbate poverty and inequality.
“The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers has rejected the proposed increase in tariffs, describing it as insensitive and a further burden on consumers already grappling with economic hardship and poor network service delivery. It is imperative that the telecommunications companies improve on their service delivery, which Nigerians have been yearning for in years, before embarking on the increase in their tariffs,” Oforji said.
Babatunde Musa, a 300-level Business Administration student at the University of Lagos, praised the actions of the House of Representatives for standing up for ordinary Nigerians. “At least we have members of the House speaking up for the people. There is some hope for us in a time of seeming hopelessness,” Musa remarked, highlighting the growing frustration over the government’s handling of the nation’s economic challenges.