50% Tariff Hike: Telecoms Subscribers Head To Court
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers declared its intention to initiate legal proceedings against the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday, citing the NCC’s failure to address its demand for a reduction of the tariff hike to a more acceptable 10 per cent.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the contentious 50 per cent increase in call and data tariffs was announced last week Monday, marking the first adjustment in over a decade.
The development has, however, generated widespread concerns from critics like the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigeria Labour Congress.
These groups, including NATCOMS, contend that the increase exacerbates already challenging economic conditions, disproportionately affecting low-income households and small businesses struggling to navigate rising inflation and a volatile economic climate.
The subscriber group, which represents 157 million Nigerians who rely on affordable telecom services, on Friday initiated talks via correspondence, requesting the NCC reconsider its stands within three working days. The regulator failed to do so.
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NATCOMS President Adeolu Ogunbanjo said NCC’s inaction to respond to its request has left consumers increasingly disillusioned by the rising cost of telecom services.
Ogunbanjo stated, “We gave them until the end of the day (Tuesday) to respond. Since we have not received any response, we are moving forward with the court process starting tomorrow (Wednesday).
Ogunbanjo said the same letter sent to NCC highlighted the burden that the 50 per cent hike places on subscribers, especially those in lower-income brackets who rely on affordable communication services for their daily activities.
The NATCOMS President said, “Our National Secretary informed us that the NCC has until 11:59 pm today (Tuesday) to respond. They can still reply through their website, which is available 24/7, but with no word from them, we are left with no choice but to proceed with legal action.”
The association’s decision to move forward with court action is now imminent, with the plea letter scheduled to be released to the press tomorrow.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
