The House of Representatives has urged the government to delay a planned increase in telecommunications tariffs until service quality improves. Representative Obuku Offorji moved a motion at Tuesday’s plenary, calling on Minister Bosun Tijani and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to reconsider the rate hike.
Offorji criticized the telecom operators’ arguments—that rising investment costs, enhanced networks, and increased demand for digital services justify a tariff jump—as being out of touch with the struggles of everyday Nigerians. He noted that while companies have pushed for cost-reflective tariffs for over a decade, consumer groups argue that such increases will only worsen the financial burden on citizens already facing high inflation and poor network service.
“The focus should be on improving service delivery before imposing further charges,” Offorji said. He warned that higher tariffs could impede progress in critical sectors like education, healthcare, and digital banking, ultimately hurting low-income households.
