…Telecoms increase text message cost to ₦6.00
MTN Nigeria has increased its data prices following the recent approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) allowing telecom operators to implement up to a 50 per cent tariff adjustment.
The sharp increase, which has sparked widespread outrage among subscribers, saw the price of MTN’s 15GB weekly data plan jump from ₦2,000 to ₦6,000—a 200 per cent hike.
Other data plans have also been adjusted, with the 75GB plan rising from ₦16,400 to ₦20,000, the 25GB plan increasing from ₦6,500 to ₦9,000, and the 20GB plan now costing ₦7,500, up from ₦5,500.
Similarly, the company’s 1.8GB monthly plan now costs ₦1,500, replacing the previous 1.5GB plan that was priced at ₦1,000.
Meanwhile, the cost of sending a text message has risen from ₦4.00 to ₦6.00 across all networks, also reflecting the NCC-approved 50 per cent increase.
The tariff hike follows weeks of discussions between telecom operators and the NCC over rising operational costs and the need to sustain the industry.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, explained that each telecom company would implement the new tariffs differently after filing, reviewing, and obtaining approvals from the NCC.
The NCC, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, justified the approval under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, citing increasing costs in the sector and the need to ensure service continuity.
However, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has rejected the hike, threatening legal action against the NCC for approving the increase without consulting consumers.
“This decision was made without adequate consultation with key stakeholders, including subscribers,” the association argued.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has defended the approval, describing it as a necessary measure to sustain the telecommunications sector.
“It is important to highlight that this approval does not mean automatic increases in tariffs. Operators are free to maintain their current rates if they find them sustainable,” the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre stated.
It further noted that the industry had operated under a static pricing model for over a decade, with tariffs unchanged since 2013 despite rising operational costs.
While MTN has already begun implementing the new rates, checks show that other mobile operators, including Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, have yet to adjust their data prices.
However, sources within the industry confirm that all major telcos have obtained final approval and are in the process of updating their tariff structures.
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