The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a strong warning to telecommunications operators following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) approval of a 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs.
While acknowledging the economic pressures faced by telecom companies, the Commission emphasised that this increase must directly lead to meaningful improvements in service quality, or operators will face regulatory consequences.
The tariff hike, effective as of January 22, 2025, comes in response to the rising operational costs in the Nigerian telecom sector, driven by inflation and the growing demand for infrastructure investments.
However, in the statement by the director, Corporate Affairs , FCCPC, Ondage Ijagwu, the Commission made it clear that any additional revenue generated from the tariff adjustment must be allocated to improving the quality of service provided to consumers.
The Commission stressed that operators must not use the tariff increase solely as a tool to address financial challenges without offering measurable benefits to their customers.
“The tariff adjustment must be followed by significant improvements in service quality,” the FCCPC stated.
The Commission underlined the importance of seeing a direct link between the tariff increase and the resolution of longstanding service issues, including network congestion, dropped calls, slow internet speeds, and poor customer service.
