Abuja, April 25, 2024 – Telecom operators in the country are calling for upward review of their tariffs in view of the current economic realities.
They made the demand through a joint statement issued by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
The statement was signed by the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, and the President of ATCON, Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere,
The telecom operators claimed they had not reviewed their tariffs in 11 years in spite of the rising inflation and other economic realities.
They blamed this on the regulatory restraints which had prevented them from fixing their tariffs appropriately.
The statement read in parts: “ALTON and ATCON respectfully reiterate that telecommunications infrastructure development requires substantial investments in network expansion, maintenance, and technology upgrades.
“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.
“For a fully liberalized 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.
“ATCON and ALTON call upon the government to facilitate a constructive dialogue with industry stakeholders to address pricing challenges and establish a framework that balances consumers’ affordability with operators’ financial viability.”
“Telecommunications infrastructure undisputedly plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s national security and socioeconomic growth, especially as the country currently contends with multiple security challenges that require urgent and immediate actions in response to these threats.
“Attacks on cell towers, fibre optic cables, and other critical assets disrupt telecommunications services and result in significant financial losses for operators.
“The associations urge the government to prioritize the security of telecommunications infrastructure and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to enhance protection measures and combat vandalism and sabotage effectively” (GBN).
