Glo, MTN, Airtel, others plotting hike in call, data tariff

The telecommunications companies expressed concerns about the increasing security challenges affecting the effectiveness of their operations.

Telecommunication firms in Nigeria, including Glo, MTN, Airtel, and 9Mobile, are urging the federal government to facilitate constructive discussions within the industry.

They argue that the current pricing regulations do not align with economic realities and seek government intervention to tackle pricing issues.

Unlike others, these major telcos claim they have yet to adjust their prices, which could jeopardise the industry’s sustainability and erode investor confidence.

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) jointly expressed this plea in a statement released on Thursday, April 25.

In a joint statement signed by ALTON Chairman Mr Gbenga Adebayo and ATCON President Mr Tony Emoekpere, it was noted that service pricing hasn’t been widely increased for the past 11 years.

They explained that regulatory limitations have prevented such adjustments despite economic challenges.

According to Daily Trust, they said, “For a fully liberalised and deregulated sector, the current price control mechanism, which is not aligned with economic realities, threatens the industry’s sustainability and can erode investors’ confidence.

“Despite the adverse economic headwinds, the telecommunications industry remains the only industry yet to review its general service pricing framework upward in the last 11 years, primarily due to regulatory constraints.

“Government needs to facilitate a constructive dialogue with industry stakeholders to address pricing challenges and establish a framework that balances consumers’ affordability with operators’ financial viability.”

The telecos also voiced their worries about the escalating security issues impacting the efficiency of their services.

They appealed to the government to implement measures to address this threat before it escalates beyond measure.