From Victor Osula, Abuja
The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Government to suspend the planned 50 per cent hike in telecommunications tariffs recently announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary session on Tuesday by Oforji Oboku.
Oboku noted that the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers had rejected the proposed tariff increase, describing it as insensitive and an additional financial burden on consumers already struggling with economic hardship and poor network service delivery.
While acknowledging that telecom operators require cost-reflective tariffs to cope with rising inflation (which hit 34.6 per cent in November 2024) and foreign exchange losses, the lawmaker insisted that service providers must first improve network quality before implementing any tariff adjustment.
“It is imperative that telecommunications companies enhance service delivery—something Nigerians have demanded for years—before imposing a tariff hike,” he said.
He warned that the increase would worsen financial hardships for the average Nigerian, hamper economic recovery efforts, and exacerbate poverty and inequality, particularly among low-income earners.
Oboku stressed that affordable connectivity is essential for growth in key sectors such as digital banking, education, healthcare, agriculture, and e-governance.
Following a debate, the House directed the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, and the NCC to suspend the implementation of the tariff hike until significant improvements are made in Service quality.
