Nigerians are pushing back against the controversial 50% increase in call and data tariffs, with telecom subscribers and advocacy groups now taking the matter to court after unsuccessful negotiations with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) announced on Wednesday its decision to sue the telecom regulator after the NCC failed to respond to its request to reduce the tariff hike to a more reasonable 10%.
The price adjustment, introduced last Monday, marks the first in over a decade and has sparked widespread criticism from organizations such as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
These groups argue that the hike will worsen economic hardship, particularly for low-income households and small businesses already struggling with inflation and economic instability.
Representing 157 million subscribers who depend on affordable telecom services, NATCOMS reached out to the NCC last Friday, requesting a response within three working days. However, the regulator failed to address their concerns.
Speaking to The PUNCH on Tuesday, NATCOMS President Adeolu Ogunbanjo confirmed that the lack of response from the NCC has left consumers frustrated by rising telecom costs.
“We gave them until the end of the day (Tuesday) to respond. Since we have not received any response, we are moving forward with the court process starting tomorrow (Wednesday),” Ogunbanjo stated.
NATCOMS emphasized in its letter to the NCC that the tariff hike places a significant financial burden on subscribers, particularly those in lower-income brackets who depend on affordable communication services for daily life.
“Our National Secretary informed us that the NCC has until 11:59 pm today (Tuesday) to respond. They can still reply through their website, which is available 24/7, but with no word from them, we are left with no choice but to proceed with legal action,” the NATCOMS President added.
The lawsuit is expected to be officially filed soon, with a press statement scheduled for release.
Meanwhile, SERAP has also escalated the fight, filing a lawsuit last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The rights group condemned the tariff increase as “arbitrary, unconstitutional, unlawful, unfair, and unreasonable,” further intensifying legal pressure on the government and telecom regulators.