
By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted January 22nd, 2025
Amidst seeming unimpressive attempts by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to defend the federal government’s decision to approve the request of Telcom operators to increase tariffs, though citing inflation and other variables that borders on policy framework, several civil society organizations (CSOs) and individuals have expressed their strong opposition to the approval, vowing to seek legal redress to reverse it.
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The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), a prominent voice against the 50 percent Telcom’s tariff hike, says it will sue the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the increase.
It will be recalled that on January 20, the NCC issued a statement that it had approved the request of telecommunications companies (telcos) to increase tariff.
The adjustment came after the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) raised several concerns and asked the NCC to review call tariffs upwards.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, has been at the forefront of the campaign to allow telcos to increase their tariffs by 100%, citing high cost of operation, especially foreign exchange volatility, diesel price hikes, and increased network maintenance expenses purchase of diesel to power their millions of base stations.
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However, the NCC approved their request but capped the tariff increase at 50 percent, representing half of what the telcos demanded.
Reacting to the development, Deolu Ogunbanjo, president of NATCOMS, said the NCC did not carry subscribers along in the arrangement.
Other prominent CSOs and public commentators have weighed in, asking the government to reverse the increase immediately.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called out the Federal Government’s decision to approve the increase and threatened to challenge the hike in court if it is not reversed in 48 hours.

According to SERAP, the failure by the Tinubu administration to do so means the government will be charged in court.
“The Tinubu administration and telcos must immediately reverse the unlawful increase in calls and data costs. We’ll see in court if the 50 per cent tariff hike is not reversed within 48 hours,” the body said.
NCC had, on Monday, approved the raising of telecoms tariff by 50 per cent in what shareholders believed was approved in a bid to improve telecom services.
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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has also criticised the Federal Government’s decision to authorise the hike. The group described it as an unconstitutional and oppressive policy that undermined Nigerians’ fundamental rights and freedoms.
The organisation, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of further impoverishing citizens through a policy that stifled freedom of expression and access to essential communication services.
HURIWA expressed outrage that the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, granted approval for such a steep increase, labelling it a “toxic and wicked authorization” that failed to consider the dire economic realities faced by millions of Nigerians.
According to the group, this tariff hike, set to take effect in February 2025, is among the highest globally and represents a direct attack on young and old Nigerians alike.
“It is becoming clearer by the day that this administration is systematically suppressing the rights of Nigerians.
“The 50 per cent hike in telecoms tariffs is not just an economic assault; it is a calculated attempt to muscle freedom of expression and silence the voices of young Nigerians, who rely on affordable internet and communication services to participate in the national discourse,” the group stated.
Reacting to the increase, activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju has described President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a “government from hell”, claiming the government has an unwritten code to punish Nigerians with suffering.
Posting on X, Adeyanju wrote: “They just increased tariff for all phone calls in the country.
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“The government has vowed that it must finish off Nigerians with suffering. A government from hell.
“This year I have zero tolerance for bullshit. If you come to my timeline to defend rubbish, I will block you. You can’t be praising a government that is destroying the lives of Nigerians and the economy daily and defending oppressors.”
Similarly, the Grassroots Centre for Rights & Civic Orientation has denounced the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) temerity to approve the increase amidst poor service delivery which is a more significant concern.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Armsfree Ajanaku, the Grassroots Centre criticised the NCC for prioritising telecom operators’ demands over the welfare of Nigerians.
“We call on the NCC to immediately share with Nigerians a comprehensive framework for ensuring telcos deliver world-class services,” Ajanaku said.
“Only such a service-driven approach can foster a telecoms industry that supports Nigeria’s economic development, rather than the arbitrary profiteering of a few telecom giants.”
The group highlighted the disconnect between the tariff hike and the substandard services provided by telecom operators, questioning whether the increased charges could be justified given the current service quality.
“Even if inflation and exchange rate volatility are considered, does a 50% tariff hike not constitute an overkill at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic hardships?” Ajanaku asked.
The new tariff structure raises call rates from N11 to N16.50 per minute, SMS charges from N4 to N6, and 1GB of data cost from N350 to N431.25. The Grassroots Centre described the increases as “extortionate” and accused the government of passing the burden of its economic policies onto citizens.
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The organisation also criticised the NCC for failing to provide a clear roadmap to improve telecom services, urging the commission to focus on enhancing service quality rather than enabling profit-driven price increases.
Recall that the approved increase was disclosed in a statement signed by NCC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Reuben Muoka. He said: “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.
“These adjustments will remain within the tariff bands stipulated in the 2013 NCC Cost Study, and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as is the commission’s standard practice for tariff reviews. It will be implemented in strict adherence to the recently issued NCC Guidance on Tariff Simplification, 2024.”
NOTE: This is a developing story of intense public interest and may be updated.