50% tarif hike: NCSCN sympathizes with NCC, begs labour to cancel protest

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria, NCSCN, has commended the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC over its recent 50 percent upward adjustment of telecom tariff.
NCSCN, in a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said that its findings showed that telecom operators wanted a review as high as 200 percent, a proposal, according to them, the NCC opposed to.
The Council said it had initially resolved that its 620 affiliates would embark a peaceful protest to occupy the Headquarters of the NCC and the National Assembly, until the decision is reversed but had a change of mind after a meeting with NCC where they were presented with facts and figures.
It said at the end of the day, so much revelations emerged which it has put together for all to see and consider, in other to be better informed in taken action, going forward.
“After the tensed and robust engagement with the Management of NCC, we further set up a 5-Man Technical Committee to carefully study documents presented to us, and asked the Committee to do clinical and forensic examination of available records of operational costs and annual profits margins of some major Telecom Service Providers in Nigeria, with critical assessments of Financial Statements,” it said.
“Our findings were very interesting and calls for serious review of position and planned line of action. Softcopies and Hardcopies of some documents will be distributed to everybody present here before end of this sitting.
“Confirmed facts and figures by our Technical Committee: That there has not been any Tariff Adjustment by Operator since 2013 despite rising inflation and unfavorable environments and economic realities.
“Like every other local and international businesses depend on same enabling factors and variables as Electricity, Foreign Exchange, Secured Environments etc to operate and do businesses profitably; That Electricity Tariffs and cost of Diesel has skyrocketed on the Telecom Service Providers.
“That Insecurity and constant vandalization of facilities and cable lines has become a serious reoccurrence and thread to the continued operations and profitability of the Telecom Businesses in Nigeria; That the 50% is simply an upper ceiling that must not be exceeded, operators may still be driven by competition to slightly adjust and not shoot up to the 50%.
“That as other factors as Electricity, Diesel, Security improves, Rates will naturally come down as has been the case in the industry for over 2 decades running whereby rates of calls and services have been in steady decline.
“That NCC has issued a detailed and comprehensive Terms and Condition for improvement in Services Nationwide and Reformation in the Industry in favour of Consumers, necessitating structural and equipment upgrades by Service Providers, which will result in radical improvement in Telecom Services in Nigeria.
“That the Service Providers are mandated to abide by the Guidelines and Term and Condition before any upward Adjustments in Tariff; That the 50% approval is significantly understandable considering the percentage rise in Forex, Diesel and other variables, which is upto 700% in some cases.
“That Nigeria still enjoys relatively one of the lowest Tariffs globally. EVEN THE 50% ADJUSTMENT IS LESS THAN 10k in value.
“The Leadership of NCSCN, having carefully done a forensic analysis of the facts and figures available on this burning national issue, sincerely sympathizes with the NCC in the dilemma they find themselves, cut between a Nigerian People that have been pushed into the walls owing to biting economic hardship, and Telecom Service Providers whose businesses are equally endangered as a result of same inflationary factors and unfavourable environmental conditions.
“The situation then calls for more understanding on all sides, hence, the following advice.
“That the NCC ensures that the Terms and Conditions reached with the Telecom Service Providers are strictly adhered to without any compromise, with quality and spread of services improved remarkable, as a matter of urgency.
“That the NCC improve on monitoring mechanism to verify and checkmate actual Tariff Rates of various Service Providers, and causing all to do a periodic public statements on operations.
“That the Telecom Service Providers show more patriotism and loyalty to customers by charging the most minimal Tariff Rates and not necessarily going for the upper sealing of 50%. Let them favour the Customers and Nigerian People in their individual adjustments of the Tariff.
“That all Members of the NCSCN shields our swords for now, as we call off the planned Protest earlier scheduled to commence today Monday, January 3, 2025.
“Let us accept the painful and bitter realities being faced in the Operational Cost by Service Providers and allow for this understandable Tariff Adjustment; NCSCN equally appeals to our BIG BROTHER, the Nigerian Labour Congress to review its Position on this matter and find reasons to allow for this unavoidable Tariff Adjustment, to prevent SYSTEMIC COLLAPSE of Telecom Services in Nigeria, seeing that most businesses are already folding up and leaving the Country owing to high Production Costs.
“We appeal to Nigerian to keep faith with the NCC Leadership as we in the NCSCN have seen relatively a very reasonable level of Patriotism and commitment to the well-being of the People, which is the reason the Tariff has been kept at a relatively low level, till date.”
50% tarif hike: NCSCN sympathizes with NCC, begs labour to cancel protest