Following the recent speculations on telecom tariff hike, the Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has convened a meeting with key representatives of telecommunications companies to deliberate on their demands and the way forward.
The meeting commenced earlier today and present were representatives from major telecom operators including: MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile.
Key government agencies, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), were also in attendance.
Recall that telecom companies have been advocating for a tariff increase, citing economic pressures stemming from the removal of fuel subsidies and the naira’s floating exchange rate.
Despite these demands, the government, through the NCC, has maintained that operators still have room to explore within the framework of the 2013 tariff price floor currently in effect.
The Federal government has also announced ongoing efforts to address the issues affecting the sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
This development follows the submission of an interim sustainability report by KPMG to the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
The report is expected to provide actionable recommendations, particularly concerning the ongoing debate over tariff reviews.
Telecom operators have argued that the current tariff regime jeopardizes the long-term viability of the industry.
While a review of the tariffs is meant to ensure that telecommunications companies do not run into loss, the desired increase by the service providers will add to the growing expenses of the masses.
