Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has announced that the upcoming telecom tariff hike will not exceed 60%.
This decision comes after telcos demanded a 100% increase, which Tijani deemed harmful to Nigerians and detrimental to the country’s growth.
Instead, the minister proposed a more moderate increase of 30% to 60%.
This move aims to balance the sustainability of the telecom sector with affordability for Nigerian consumers.
Tijani emphasized the importance of ensuring that the sector contributes to the country’s growth without overburdening citizens.
To address the challenges faced by telcos, the government is taking steps to reduce their operational costs. These measures include:
- Declaring telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure: This move will help protect telecom equipment from vandalism and reduce repair costs.
- Tax reforms: The government is working to harmonize taxes and reduce the burden on telecom companies.
- Investing in digital infrastructure: A 90,000-kilometer fiber optic project is set to commence in Q2 2025, aiming to expand broadband access to all 774 local governments.
Tijani’s team is finalizing recommendations based on KPMG reports, which will be circulated soon.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is expected to announce the new tariff rates, marking the first increase in over a decade.
