Telecom Operators Might Increase Tariff

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Thursday said that the current tariff regime in the telecom sector is not sustainable.

The Chairman of ALTON, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, disclosed this in Lagos, during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida.

He said price review should be considered in line with the rising operating cost, adding that operators are burdened by 52 taxes across the country.

“Our current pricing regime is no longer sustainable. That is the fact, with the way things are going, I am not sure we can sustain this sector with the current pricing regime,” he said.

He also urged the EVC to intervene in the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts owed them by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), which he noted has now hit N200 billion.

He noted that the total debt must be paid, stressing that the association would not hesitate blocking debtor banks from accessing the service.