MTN Nigeria has introduced new data pricing, increasing the cost of its data subscriptions. This development follows the recent approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) allowing telecommunications operators to implement a 50% price hike.
The revised data prices show that MTN’s 1.8GB monthly plan now costs N1,500, up from the previous 1.5GB plan priced at N1,000. The 20GB plan has been adjusted to N7,500, a significant increase from N5,500, while the 15GB plan now costs N6,500, rising from N4,500.
Other mobile operators, including Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, are yet to update their data prices. However, all networks have begun charging N6.00 for text messages, a 50% increase from the previous N4.00.
According to telecom industry sources, the telcos received final approval for their new tariff plans on Monday and are currently adjusting their data and voice plans. The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, had disclosed that all operators had submitted their new tariff plans to the NCC and were awaiting approval. The NCC had announced on January 20 that it had approved a 50% tariff adjustment for telecom operators, citing rising operational costs and the need to sustain the industry.
However, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has threatened to challenge the approved tariff hike in court, stating that the decision was made without adequate consultation with key stakeholders, including subscribers. The Presidency has defended the 50% hike in tariff approval, saying it was necessary to keep the telecom industry viable. While noting that the approval does not require telecom operators to immediately increase their tariffs by 50%, the Presidency emphasized that the telecom industry in Nigeria had operated under static price mechanisms for over a decade.
The Centre for Communications Impact noted that the telecom industry in Nigeria had faced significant increases in operational costs since 2013, despite prices remaining unchanged. The Centre described the approval as an important step aimed at addressing critical challenges in the telecommunications sector.
