Nigerian telecom operators need tariff increase to improve service quality – ATCON 

The President of ATCON, Mr Tony Emoekpere, stated this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

Aside from tariff adjustments, Emoekpere said the operators would also need economic incentives to mitigate the impacts of the rising operational and capital costs.

“MNOs should be permitted to implement controlled tariff increases to account for rising operational and capital costs. 

“In parallel, the government can provide tax breaks or subsidies to ease consumer affordability while ensuring operators can sustain their infrastructure investments,” the ATCON president said. 

The ATCON President also called on the Federal Government to address the infrastructural deficit, economic constraints and systemic challenges of broadband internet expansion in the country.

Nigeria, through the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 is seeking to increase broadband penetration to 70% by next year.

“The barriers to broadband internet expansion in Nigeria reflect a combination of infrastructure deficits, economic constraints, and systemic challenges. 

“Addressing these is critical for achieving equitable digital inclusion and supporting the country’s economic growth,” Emoekpere said. 

The ATCON president affirms the gap in the deployment of broadband infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

“The limited penetration of fibre-optic networks and inadequate last-mile connections prevent equitable access to high-speed internet. 

“These gaps exacerbate the digital divide, leaving millions without meaningful connectivity. The affordability of internet access remains a critical issue.

“Broadband services and devices are still too expensive for many Nigerians, especially those in lower-income brackets. 

On the frequent internet service disruptions, Emoekpere says connectivity reliability has been compromised by vandalism, fibre cuts during construction activities, and Nigeria’s inconsistent power supply.

“Such disruptions not only affect service delivery but also lead to higher operational costs for telecom providers,” he said. 

Due to the increasing costs, telecom operators in Nigeria have since last year been clamouring for an increase in tariffs.

Due to the increasing costs, telecom operators in Nigeria have since last year been clamouring for an increase in tariffs.

In a joint statement by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), the operators said the telecom industry is the only industry that has not reviewed its prices despite the rising inflation in the country and other economic realities that warrant increment.