Telcos seek review of tariff plans in 2025

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said plans to delay its tariff plan review could spell doom for the industry in the new year.
Speaking at an end-of-the-year stakeholders’ forum in Abuja on Monday, the ALTON chairman warned that the telecoms industry is already facing critical challenges due to the incessant rising operational costs and stagnant tariffs.

He called for immediate reforms to ensure the survival and sustainability of the industry, stressing that tariffs must be reviewed for service providers to remain afloat and alive in the business.
“The soaring energy prices, persistent inflation, and fluctuating exchange rates are key factors exacerbating the situation. ‘’As we reflect on the end of the year 2024, there is need to issue an urgent and critical call to action for the future of our industry,” he said.

“The survival of the sector demands immediate and bold reform for its sustainability. Tariffs must be reviewed to reflect the economic realities of delivering telecoms services at a minimum for industry sustainability.”

He warned that dire consequences await the industry if the necessary tariff adjustments were not made, including service shedding, economic fallout, and national economic disruption.

The ALTON Chairman stated that service shedding would mean that operators might be unable to provide services in certain areas or at specific times, leaving millions of Nigerians disconnected. He noted that key sectors such as security, commerce, healthcare, and education, which depend significantly on telecom infrastructure, would experience major disruptions.

He expressed confidence that stakeholders would unite to uphold the significance and values of telecommunications in society, emphasising the need for further efforts to ensure the industry’s future stability.,

“This is not a time for further deliberation or delayed decisions. The survival of the telecom sector demands immediate and bold reform for its sustainability, our tariffs must be reviewed to reflect the economic realities of delivering telecom services at a minimum for industry sustainability. Without this, operators cannot continue to guarantee service availability,” he said.

“I must say it again with even greater urgency that we are in the last days for the survival of this sector and if immediate and decisive action is not taken, the hope for a better 2025 will remain just a hope.”