By our Reporter
Telecom operators in Nigeria, under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), warn users that service shedding might be considered over a tariff hike due to escalating operational costs.
ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, made this announcement during the Stakeholders End of the Year Dinner in Lagos. He expressed concerns about the industry’s financial challenges and called for urgent reforms to ensure its sustainability.
Adebayo cited key issues such as escalating energy prices, inflation, and fluctuating exchange rates as major threats to the survival of telecom operators. Without a review of tariffs, he cautioned, there could be service disruptions, negative impacts on the economy, and significant effects on sectors like security, commerce, and healthcare.
In response, the Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) has opposed the call for a tariff hike.
.ATCIS President, Sina Bilesanmi, accused telecom operators of exaggerating their financial plight and maintained that current prices remain within the framework approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He dismissed rumors of increased call and data charges as a “wild hoax.”
Bilesanmi reassured subscribers that the NCC has no immediate plans to adjust tariffs, emphasizing that any potential changes would involve broad consultations with stakeholders. “There is no cause for alarm,” he stated.
