MTN Nigeria Adjusts Data Prices Following NCC’s 50% Tariff Increase Approval
MTN Nigeria has announced new pricing for its data subscriptions, becoming one of the first telecommunications operators in the country to implement the recently approved 50% price hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
According to data reviewed , the company has revised its monthly data plans as follows: the 1.8GB plan will now cost N1,500, an increase from the previous 1.5GB plan which was priced at N1,000. The 20GB data plan has risen to N7,500, up from N5,500, while the 15GB plan now costs N6,500, reflecting an increase from its prior price of N4,500.
In addition to data plan adjustments, a notable hike has occurred in text messaging rates, with the new price set at N6.00 per message, escalating from the previous rate of N4.00.
As of the latest updates, other telecommunications providers, including Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, have yet to revise their data pricing, but they all now charge N6.00 for text messages—a reflection of the aforementioned 50% increment approved by NCC.
Industry insiders have confirmed that operators received final approval for their new tariff structures earlier this week and are currently in the midst of updating their data and voice pricing. At a recent forum, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), stated that all telecom operators had submitted revised tariff plans to the NCC and were awaiting formal endorsement.
In a backstory to this development, the NCC announced on January 20 that it had greenlighted a 50% tariff adjustment for telecommunications companies, citing escalating operational costs and the importance of sustaining the industry. Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs, highlighted the Commission’s regulatory responsibilities under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003.
Despite the approval, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has signaled intentions to legally challenge the tariff increase, arguing that stakeholders—including consumers—were insufficiently consulted during the decision-making process.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has endorsed the NCC’s decision, asserting the necessity of the 50% tariff adjustment for maintaining the telecom sector’s viability. A recent statement from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre clarified that the approval does not mandate immediate price hikes; telecom operators retain the flexibility to maintain their current rates if they deem them sustainable.
The Presidency characterized this regulatory approval as a critical measure to resolve ongoing challenges facing the telecommunications sector, noting that industry prices have remained static for over a decade, unchanged since 2013, in the face of rising operational costs.
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