Tariff hike: How telecoms users reduced subscription in Northeast

By Reporters

Some telecoms subscribers in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe on Saturday explained how the new mobile data and call prices compelled them to reduce subscription.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria’s telecoms service providers have increased their data and call tariffs after it had been approved by the regulatory authorities.

The regulatory body, however, said that the increase in favour of the telecom companies was to help them boost revenue to cover rising costs of business operations and also improve the services.

A cross-section of subscribers in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe who spoke to NAN in separate interviews explained how the new tariff has negatively impacted on their social and business life.

Mustapha Bashir, a civil servant living in 202 Housing Estate in Maiduguri told NAN that he has been struggling with poor network reception, especially after the September 10, 2024 flooding that damaged telecom infrastructure in some parts of the Maiduguri metropolis.

“The network situation is terrible. Sometimes, I have to move around just to find a stable signal for calls or the internet. It has become a frustrating experience,” he said.

According to him, specific locations in the city suffer worse network challenges than others.

“For example, Glo doesn’t work well around Lagos Street, GRA, 202 Housing Estate, and the University of Maiduguri. MTN, which is the most used network, also has serious problems around the Teaching Hospital and Customs Road. Even Airtel is not reliable in some places.

“Likewise Gidan, Madara and Open Air Theater, you cannot effectively use your MTN except if you have an Airtel or Glo line,” Bashir said.

Aminu Modu, a businessman operating in ... Office area, said he has significantly reduced the time he spends on calls due to the high cost and poor services.

“I used to load N5,000 monthly for calls and data, but now I spend over N7,500, yet I don’t get the same value.

“A 25GB data plan that used to cost N5,000 is now N7,500, and even at that price, the network is extremely slow.

“The worst part is that calls get cut off frequently, and you still get charged,” he alleged.

Many Maiduguri residents also complained about the increasing frequency of call drops, network congestion, and inconsistent data speed, which have made online communications difficult.

An employee of MTN, who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the challenges but insisted that telecom companies are also struggling with rising operational costs.

“Even we, the staff, feel the impact of the tariff hike. Everyone is affected, and we understand the frustration of customers,” he said.

He explained that power supply issues and vandalism of telecom infrastructure in some areas have contributed to the decline in network quality.

The telecoms subscribers in Adamawa also expressed frustration over persistent network challenges and poor service quality in spite the hike in tariffs.

A businessman, Mr Adanu Ameh, said he had reduced the frequency and duration of his calls due to the increased tariffs.

“Previously, I used to make long calls because of the nature of my business, but now I prefer sending voice notes or chatting on WhatsApp.

“This has made me spend more on data to communicate with my customers, but more reliable than making calls and incurring charges due to poor network,” he said.

A Media Consultant, Mr Owolabi Olayinka, said he relied more on Internet Wi-Fi in his office to make calls.

“With the way tariffs have increased, I avoid using my mobile line unless necessary, instead, I use my office Wi-Fi for calls and video meetings,” he said.

Similarly, a civil servant, Mrs Zainab Gambari, shared her experience, saying her monthly airtime recharge no longer lasts as long as it used to be.

“I used to spend between N15,000 and N20,000 monthly on airtime but with the recent increase, I now spend double the price.

“Even with that, I still experienced frequent call drops, which means I have to call again and spend more,” she said.

A student, Mr Salihu Mamza, said he has been subscribing from different service providers to enable him switch from one service to another service provider, depending on the strength and affordability of the network.

“I have ported my number to another service provider in search of better rates.

“Now, I compare call rates and network stability before choosing which SIM to use,” Mamza said.

Mr Joel Alao, a telecommunications engineer, said some service providers had not invested enough in infrastructure, leading to service disruptions.

Alao said the increase in tariff by the service providers does not automatically resolve the challenges of poor service quality.

According to him, resolving the issues would require network equipment upgrades, replacement of outdated fiber-optic cables, improved power infrastructure, which takes time and resources.

Mr Abdulkarim Mohammed, an Executive Director, Trans-banco Global Resources, said that the network congestion and power supply were major challenges affecting service delivery in the telecoms industry.

Mohammed said the service providers rely on diesel-powered base stations, and with the rising cost of diesel, the service providers struggle to maintain quality service.

He, however, urged the regulatory bodies to ensure that service providers justify tariff increase with improved network quality.

Similarly, some of the residents in Damaturu also confirmed the challenges being experienced in Borno and Adamawa, leading to a significant reduction in call frequency, data usage in Yobe as it were.

A resident, Mr Yusuf Biriri said it had been very tough for some of them in the state to maintain the lifestyle as it were regarding the use of telecom services due to hike in the tariffs.

We are all trying to adjust. I have had to prioritise communications. It is more about essential calls now, less of the casual chit-chat.