The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has announced that telecom tariffs for calls, SMS, and data will rise by 30-60%, rejecting the 100% hike proposed by telecommunication operators.
Tijani, speaking on a Channels TV program, explained that the increase is necessary to sustain the industry but emphasized that doubling costs would severely impact Nigerians. If the 60% hike is implemented, the average cost of calls will rise from N11 to N18.33 per minute, SMS charges will increase from N4 to N6.67, and a 1GB data bundle will cost N479.17, up from N287.50.
Telecom firms, grappling with a 300% rise in operating costs and financial losses following the naira’s devaluation, have long sought tariff adjustments. MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola expressed hope that the final decision would balance consumer affordability with industry sustainability.
