The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to halt the recently proposed 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs, citing the economic hardship Nigerians are currently facing, which has been exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies.
The decision followed the adoption of an urgent motion introduced by Oboku Oforji, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bayelsa State, during Tuesday’s plenary session. The motion, titled “Need for the Nigerian Communications Commission not to approve the impending hike in telecommunications tariffs,” highlighted the difficult circumstances Nigerians are enduring, particularly with rising living costs.
Oforji argued that although telecom companies justified the price hike by pointing to operational cost increases and the need for better service delivery, the people of Nigeria are already struggling to meet basic needs. He noted that telecom companies have been advocating for the hike for the last 11 years, with industry associations such as the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria citing high inflation and foreign exchange fluctuations as contributing factors.
The lawmaker also pointed out that the National Association of Telecom Subscribers had rejected the tariff increase, calling it insensitive and a further burden on consumers already facing economic difficulties and subpar network services. Oforji emphasized that telecom companies must first address issues with poor service delivery, which Nigerians have long complained about, before implementing any price hikes.
He warned that the proposed increase would exacerbate financial struggles for ordinary Nigerians, undermine the country’s technological ambitions, and deepen poverty, particularly among low-income families. Additionally, he stressed the importance of affordable connectivity for critical sectors such as digital banking, healthcare, education, agriculture, and e-governance. Small businesses, he added, would also be significantly impacted, as they rely on affordable telecommunications for operations and marketing. Oforji highlighted that a 10% hike in telecom costs could reduce small business profitability by up to 7%, potentially leading to closures.
In contrast, Dominic Okafor, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, defended the tariff increase, stating that without it, telecom providers would struggle to meet consumer demands and improve infrastructure. However, Okafor suggested that the increase should not be as high as 100%.
Billy Osawaru, a federal lawmaker from Edo State, countered Okafor’s stance, urging telecom providers to first improve service quality before raising prices. Osawaru expressed concern about the burden on the poor, highlighting that in developed countries, people typically rely on a single mobile phone, whereas Nigerians often use multiple phones due to unreliable service.
In response to the motion, the House of Representatives called on the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission, to suspend the proposed tariff increase until telecom services improve.
