Nigerian telecommunications operators have started implementing the long-awaited 50 per cent tariff hike following regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission as lawmakers moved to halt the rollout, citing economic hardship.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the telecom regulator and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to suspend the tariff increase, arguing that Nigerians cannot afford higher telecom costs amid rising inflation and the removal of fuel subsidies.

The tariff hike, which had been cleared by the NCC, was scheduled to take effect nationwide starting Monday. While MTN, the country’s largest telecommunications provider, had already started implementing the revised rates as of Tuesday, other key players—Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile—had yet to release their new pricing structure.

A senior MTN executive, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, confirmed the development. “Yes, we’ve started updating our price lists. However, this process is gradual, and we haven’t completed it for all products yet.”
The tariff adjustment primarily affects MTN data plans. For example, the 1.5GB monthly plan, previously priced at N1,000, has now been replaced with a 1.8GB plan costing N1,500.

Similarly, the 15GB plan has increased from N4,500 to N6,500, while the 20GB plan now costs N7,500, up from N5,500. Larger data bundles have seen even steeper hikes, with the 1.5 terabyte 90-day plan increasing from N150,000 to N240,000, and the 600GB 90-day plan rising from N75,000 to N120,000.

The source added, “From tomorrow (Wednesday), prices of other MTN products will be adjusted. We are doing it in phases. Not all the prices went up, some didn’t change, some are still below 50 per cent.”

A senior official at Globacom, who was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed that while the company had not yet rolled out the new tariffs, there was a possibility of an update before the close of business on Tuesday.

An executive at Airtel, who also spoke under the condition of anonymity, indicated that the tariff hike had been implemented across the industry.

“As far as I know, every operator has commenced. This is an industry-wide decision, not an operator decision. Our prices have never been uniform, and the decision was made collectively on Monday. Every operator must have begun, even if the rollout is not yet fully completed,” the executive told The PUNCH.

The House of Representatives intervention came after a motion of urgent public importance was raised by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Bayelsa State, Oboku Oforji during Tuesday’s plenary session.

The motion, titled “Need for the Nigerian Communications Commission not to approve the impending hike in the telecommunications tariffs,” sought to halt the tariff increase.

Oforji argued that while telecommunications companies justified the tariff hike by citing rising operational costs and the need for improved service delivery, the timing was particularly problematic given the economic hardship many Nigerians face.

He noted that inflation, which hit a record 34.6 per cent in November 2024, and the removal of fuel subsidies had already placed significant financial strain on citizens.