Nigerians are voicing anger over steep increases in mobile data prices by two of the country’s leading telecom providers MTN and Airtel at a time when many are already struggling with rising living costs.
MTN, Nigeria’s largest network, tripled the price of its popular 15GB weekly bundle from 2,000 naira ($1.33) to 6,000 naira ($3.99), while Airtel also raised its data tariffs significantly. The sudden changes have left subscribers frustrated, with many accusing the companies of worsening an already dire economic situation.
A Price Cap Ignored?
The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), which regulates telecom services, recently approved a tariff adjustment but capped the increase at 50%. However, some of the price jumps appear to exceed this limit. Neither the NCC nor Airtel has issued an official response to the complaints.
MTN, in a message on X (formerly Twitter), said the adjustment was necessary to ensure better service delivery, adding: “We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
Subscribers, caught off guard by the higher charges, flooded social media with complaints. One user described the increase as “outrageous,” while another wrote, “Triple the amount? The end time is near.”
Implications for Businesses
The data price hike is expected to have a ripple effect on small businesses and young entrepreneurs who rely heavily on affordable internet access. Digital creator Mubarak Uniquepikin warned that this could hurt many businesses that have shifted online due to the high cost of renting physical spaces.
“The economy is already in a bad state,” he said. “For many young people, buying data is already difficult. This increase will only make it harder for them to survive.”
Nigeria’s economic woes have worsened in recent years, with inflation at its highest in decades. The removal of a long-standing fuel subsidy and a recent currency devaluation, both introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, were meant to stabilize the economy but have left many Nigerians struggling to cope.
Globacom, Nigeria’s third-largest network, has not raised its data prices, offering some relief to its customers. Meanwhile, Nigerians continue to wait for the telecom regulator to address concerns about the price increases.
