No Data, Call Rate Hike Yet Despite NCC Pricing Review

The review comes amid earlier reports that the NCC was working with consultants and stakeholders on a possible upward review of tariffs. However, telecom operators have maintained that the current exercise is not related to increasing prices paid by subscribers.

Adebayo explained that the NCC’s current process is aimed at establishing a fair rate for transactions between telecom operators, particularly when calls originate from one network and terminate on another.

“There are no conversations around tariff review at this time, and there are no discussions around upward review of tariffs for our consumers.”

“What the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has done is to commence what we call the custody that determines the wholesale rate between operators, meaning that if I originate a call from my network and terminate on another network.”

“The exercise is to speak to how efficient it is to run a network, what’s the fair price between one operator and the other to ensure that you have a healthy industry?”

“I must assure Nigerians that what is going on is a regular process where a regulator determines what is a fair price for operators to charge among themselves for calls they carry and terminate on each other’s network.”

Adebayo added that the review also covers international calls that originate outside Nigeria and terminate on local networks, with the aim of determining appropriate charges for such services.

The telecom operators noted that any future tariff review would be tied to improved service delivery, network expansion, and deeper coverage across the country.

Adebayo said the government had previously linked any tariff adjustments to commitments by operators to improve the quality of services and expand infrastructure.

Operators are expected to provide better-quality services as part of conditions associated with previous tariff adjustments.

Network expansion and deeper penetration of telecom services remain key expectations from the sector.

The current NCC review is focused on wholesale pricing between operators rather than consumer-facing tariffs.

The telecom industry has continued to emphasize the need for pricing structures that support sustainability while ensuring consumers continue to access reliable services.

Telecom operators had previously implemented a 50% tariff increase approved by the NCC in 2025, leading to adjustments in the prices of some mobile services.

The review affected data subscription plans offered by operators, including changes to pricing structures for major packages.

MTN Nigeria increased the price of its data subscriptions in February 2025 following the NCC-approved tariff adjustment.

The 1.8GB monthly data plan increased to N1,500 from the previous 1.5GB plan priced at N1,000.

The 20GB plan rose to N7,500 from N5,500, while the 15GB plan increased to N6,500 from N4,500.

The Nigeria Labour Congress had earlier directed workers and willing Nigerians to boycott telecom services over the implementation of the tariff increase.

The latest clarification from telecom operators indicates that the ongoing NCC review is focused on industry pricing arrangements and operational sustainability rather than another immediate increase in consumer tariffs.