Citing increasing cost of business operations and the harsh economy, the telecom operators are proposing an upward review and Tariff Hike for voice and data services.
Telecom operators under the auspices of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have asked the new minister of communication, innovation and digital economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to issue policy guidance to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to commence implementation of targeted interventions starting with an upward review of voice call rates, among others.
Telecoms operators averred that the cost of doing business in the country had risen sharply in the preceding months due to a myriad of factors generally impacting businesses, including macroeconomic headwinds such as inflation, currency devaluation, sustained difficulty in accessing forex at an affordable rate, rising energy costs, rising cost of securing telecommunications facilities and field personnel in the face of worsening insecurity, among others.
ALTON chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo said: “Consumer prices in other sectors have seen a steep rise over the last six years as they adjust to reflect macroeconomic realities. However, telco prices have remained flat and even declined. Contrary to the price trends in other sectors, telcos have had to adjust for the macroeconomic headwinds caused by an increasing erosion of margins. Other highly regulated sectors such as power and insurance have implemented price increases over the last year. Insurance prices have risen 200 per cent with power raising prices by over 40 per cent.”
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