By Our Reporter
Customers of Telecommunications companies operating in the country under the aegis of National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) have announced their preparedness to drag telecommunications companies to court over a proposed tariff hike that could double service costs nationwide.
Telecom operators, it would be recalled, had written to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), demanding a 100% hike in tariffs. The telcos defended the increase as essential to offset rising operational expenses,
However, NATCOMS strongly opposed the proposed increment. Speaking on the matter, President of the association, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said the group plans to file a class-action lawsuit if the telecom operators proceed with the hike without first exploring alternative revenue-generating methods.
Ogunbanjo criticized the proposed 100 per cent tariff hike as excessive and unsustainable, urging the NCC to deny the operators’ request.
“Initially, we were looking at a marginal increase of five per cent to 10 per cent. Then the NCC considered a 40 per cent increase. Now, telcos are proposing 100 per cent, and we are saying no”, Ogunbanjo said at the weekend.
The proposed tariff hike would raise the cost of a voice call from N11.00 to N22.00 per minute, an SMS from N4.00 to N8.00 per message, and a 1GB data bundle from N1,000 to N2,000.
The NCC is currently reviewing the proposal and has not yet made a final decision.
Ogunbanjo warned that NATCOMS was ready to challenge any approval in court.
“This is a sector of national interest, and we will not hesitate to seek legal redress to protect subscribers’ rights”.
The NATCOMS president suggested that telecom operators explore the capital market as an alternative to raising tariffs.
“They can go to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to raise funds. Nigerians will buy their shares, and I am confident it will be oversubscribed. MTN has already done this successfully. Other operators like Glo and Airtel should follow suit”, he added.
Ogunbanjo acknowledged the financial pressures faced by telcos, including inflation and rising operational costs.
He, however, emphasized that subscribers should not bear the brunt of these challenges without first exploring other viable funding options.
“If the operators cannot meet their financial needs after raising funds through the stock exchange, they can return to the table for discussions”, he said.
The consumer group argued that the proposed hike would disproportionately affect low-income subscribers and could hinder access to essential communication services.