Suspend Planned Tariff Increase, Reps Tells FG
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The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission, to suspend the impending hike in telecommunications tariffs until the services offered by telecom companies improve.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Oboji Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa) on the need to halt the recent increase in tariffs by telecom companies.
Leading the debate on the motion, Oforji recalled the announcement by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, that telecommunications tariffs would soon increase.
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He said, “According to the Minister, consultations are ongoing as some of these companies have agitated for tariff increases of up to 100 percent. He, however, stated that it would not be a 100 percent increase and that the Nigerian Communications Commission would approve the new tariffs and announce them in due course.
“The arguments of the telecommunications companies for the hike include the cost of investment, the need for better networks, and the increasing demand for digital services across sectors such as education, banking, and healthcare, among others.”
However, Dominic Okafor (APGA, Anambra) argued that for telecom operators to offer effective services, they should be allowed to increase their tariffs, given the substantial rise in the cost of doing business in the country.
