The House of Representatives has demanded the immediate suspension of the recent 50% increase in telecom tariffs, citing economic hardship and poor service delivery.
This follows a motion by lawmaker Oboku Oforji, who criticized telecom operators for failing to improve service quality while increasing costs.
Lawmakers have directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, to halt the hike until network services improve.
Despite this directive, telecom operators have already begun implementing the new charges, affecting call, data, and SMS costs. Many subscribers noticed the increase on Tuesday.
The NCC had initially approved the hike in January, arguing it was necessary for the sustainability of the industry.
However, the approved increase was lower than the 100% hike requested by some telecom operators.
Labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), had initially threatened industrial action but suspended protests after negotiations with government officials.
The tariff hike comes amid Nigeria’s worst economic crisis in decades.
Since President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration in May 2023, petrol prices have surged from under N200 to over N1,100 per litre, while the naira has devalued from N700/$ to N1,600/$.
Inflation continues to rise, worsening the cost-of-living crisis for millions of Nigerians.
